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From: "Scotty Johnson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "(Farm Bureau Investigation}" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Mon, 8 May 2000 13:22:53 -0700
Subject: Bureau Leaders: Backpaddling the River Denial
Reply-to: [log in to unmask]
GREEN Rural UPdates!
Providing key information on recent developments in rural America,
including updates on the Farm Bureau and salient issues
converging around water quality, farm sustainablility and the
protection of biodiversity
FARM BUREAU: BACK-PADDLING THE RIVER DENIAL
May 3, 2000
In his most recent “Presidents Column” American Farm Bureau’s
new leader Bob Stallman refuses to answer allegations recently
exposed regarding Farm Bureau leadership. Instead, Mr. Stallman
is now claiming a “smear campaign” against the Farm Bureau by
Defenders of Wildlife and “60 Minutes.” (AFB WEB)
This claim comes on the heels of recent investigative reports
alleging Farm Bureau leadership has abandoned family farmers for
big agribusiness. (CBS Press Release)
Ironically, Mr. Stallman names the article, “Farm Bureau Prefers
High Road to Gutter.” What follows not only misses the “high”
road by a country mile, it neglects to answer key allegations about
a pattern of profit-taking by Bureau leaders and presidents. Instead
of walking the high road, Mr. Stallman seems to be back-paddling
the “River Denial.”
In a cleverly worded piece that combines thinly veiled accusations
with rhetoric, Farm Bureau’s new leader writes, “Our record of
success attracts attention. Most of the time that's good. But,
increasingly, Farm Bureau has become the subject of false
comments, halftruths, baseless gossip and outright malicious
lies.”
Apart from Mr. Stallman’s misleading insinuations that allegations
of profit-taking were somehow lies or gossip, someone should
remind him it is a bad time to claim success in farm policy.
In fact, agriculture could be in the middle of its worst depression
ever. This slump is not an accident of economies, or bad weather.
This depression is directly linked to failed farm policy advanced
largely by Farm Bureau’s powerful lobby. Policies that clearly
benefit agribusiness while the family farmer flounders.
Moreover, if you study your history of agricultural policy, you will
see that Farm Bureau has reigned supreme over all farm groups for
the last four to nine decades. Throughout this time, America’s
system of family farmers has been eroding faster than our precious
soils. The only agricultural sector doing well today is corporate
agribusiness. Farmers must remember this is no coincidence.
So when Mr. Stallman talks of successes he means the
successes of agribusiness. Because, when it comes to farm
policy, Farm Bureau leadership has failed family farmers. Just
look how few family farmers are left.
Mr. Stallman is refusing to admit that Farm Bureau leaders have an
unresolvable problem on their hands. One that will haunt them
from here into eternity - it is called a conflict of interest.
Recent reports revealed Farm Bureua is tightly entangled in a web
of for- profit businesses who buy from, sell to, and often undermine
family farmers. As a result they advance policy that benefits
agribusiness over family agriculture. In fact, the only time they
push policy good for family agriculture is when it is also good for
agribusiness. What the Farm Bureau president is not telling us is
that recent reports only outline, like the tip of an iceberg, the huge
interlocking combine of farm bureau related agribusinesses.
This conflict of interest will not be ignored by Farm Bureau farmers.
It reaches into the highest tentacles of corporate agribusiness.
How can the family farmer compete with the likes of ADM,
Premium Standard Farms, ConAgra, Phillip Morris? Farm Bureau
is linked with all of these and many more.
Yet, instead of addressing these growing concerns, Mr. Stallman
seems more intent on using an age old diversionary tactic - Don’t
like the message? Attack the messenger.
In his column, Mr. Stallman tries to discredit these investigative
reports as “gossip, half-truths and lies.” He does not mention this
research was done by some of the most competent and respected
journalists in America today. Mike Wallace’s is certainly one of
the most highly acclaimed journalists of this century. And the
integrity of “60 Minutes” productions is virtually untarnished.
Moreover, the principal author for Defenders report, Vicki Monks, is
herself a highly respected independent journalist. She is not an
employee of Defenders and backs this report with her ample
reputation.
When Mr. Stallman and other Farm Bureau leaders talk of
collusion between “60 Minutes” and “Defenders,” one has to
chuckle. Defenders of Wildlife, while the fastest growing
environmental outfit in America today, is a David compared to the
Farm Bureau Goliath. The Farm Bureau “combine” has an annual
income base roughly 1000 times larger than Defenders. When you
talk about aggregate Farm Bureau assets, no one really knows.
Why don’t Farm Bureau leaders talk about their profits from stock
ptions? Why don’t they reveal their for-profit businesses? Why
don’t they try to divest themselves of conflicts of interest? Why
doesn’t Mr. Stallman talk about his business interests as
Chairman of the Board for the new BanCorp Farm Bureau Banking
system. Why don’t Farm Bureaus talk about their oil refineries,
their media investments, their chemical, pesticide, biotech and
livestock investments? Why? Because their farmer members
would have a fit.
With all the back-paddling and denial, Farm Bureau members are
getting increasingly dissatisfied. For many members, the recent
allegations simply cement suspicions they have had for years.
One farmer wrote saying, “I have known about these bums for
nearly 45 years. Thanks for exposing them.”
Current National Security Council Chief Sandy Berger said it best.
“Farm Bureau cannot serve two masters.” (Dollar Harvest) The
question their leadership must answer is - Who will they choose to
serve - their farmer members or their corporate stockholders?
__________
Scotty Johnson
Rural Outreach Coordinator
GREEN (GrassRoots Environmental Effectiveness Network)
<[log in to unmask]>
P.O Box 1901
Tucson, AZ 85702-1901
(520) 623 9653 Ext. 3
Fax: (520) 623 0447
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