Another problem with the Iowa Farm Bureau is the  perception that it 
represents the views of all farmers.  Given the long and  virulent 
anti-environment efforts of the IFB, I might give up hope  if all Iowa farmers agreed with 
all those efforts.  But they  don't.  As pointed out in the really excellent 
Craig Cox piece in the  REGISTER a couple of weeks ago, the Iowa farm and 
rural  life survey shows that a strong majority of Iowa farmers  agree that 
taxpayers have the right to expect some moderate conservation in  return for 
their money.  
 
"81 percent of Iowa farmers agree that farmers should be  required to 
control soil erosion on highly erodible land to stay eligible for  federal farm 
program benefits. Two-thirds think farmers should control soil  erosion 
whether or not they get benefits."
 
Craig Hill, President of the Iowa Farm Bureau, wrote a  response to Cox's 
piece.  The Hill piece was badly-written, made irrelevant  points, used 
arguments that Cox had already shot down very effectively, and  would have 
embarrassed me if I were an IFB member.  If Cox and Hill  had faced each other in 
any high-school debate competition, the results  wouldn't have even been 
close.  The fact that the IFB has so much  influence at the State Capitol has 
to do with money, money, money,  money, and money.
 
Cindy 

Cindy Hildebrand
[log in to unmask]
Ames, IA  50010

"Go  to the winter woods: listen there, look, watch, and 'the dead months' 
will  give you a subtler secret than any you have yet found in the forest."  
 (Fiona Macleod)

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