04/12 By Jerry Hagstrom, Washington
Correspondent for DTN
WASHINGTON--Defenders of Wildlife, an
environmental group that is furious with the American Farm Bureau
Federation for its opposition to the reintroduction of the wolf in the western
states, Tuesday called for a congressional investigation of Farm Bureau
and released an expose of the organization that turns out to be an
update of a 1971 book written by Samuel (Sandy) Berger, the National
Security adviser to President Clinton.
The study, "Amber Waves of Gain: How the Farm
Bureau is Reaping Profits at the Expense of America's Family Farmers,
Wildlife and the Environment" updates "Dollar Harvest," a book expose
of Farm Bureau Berger wrote in 1971 after serving as an aide to Joseph Y.
Resnick, D-N.Y. The study also served as part of the basis for a story
on 60 Minutes last Sunday evening.
Defenders of Wildlife suggests in the study
that Congress reconsider a provision in a 1996 tax bill which gives
farm groups income tax protection from "membership dues" because it considers
Farm Bureau more of an insurance company than a farm group. Defenders
of Wildlife maintains that "Farm Bureau, a powerful lobby that
allegedly represents the interests of family farmers is, in reality, a
wide-ranging business conglomerate with its own political agenda. In addition,
despite claiming that it is the "voice of agriculture," only a fraction
of the organization's membership actually are farmers." The study also
says that some of Farm Bureau's members who are insurance
clients disagree with its stand on wolves.
However, Rodger Schlickeisen, president of
Defenders of Wildlife, stated in a press release: "We launched our
investigation of the Farm Bureau because of its relentless attacks on
endangered species recovery efforts, most especially those concerning
wolves. However, as we examined the Farm Bureau, we found its
leadership not only opposed almost every environmental measure,
but they also advocated positions that harm rural family farmers--the
very people they claim to represent." Schlickeisen also said Farm
Bureau "uses its influence on Capitol Hill to support its own business
interests to the detriment of its members and the environment."
Defenders of Wildlife called a 1997 court
order at Farm Bureau's request to remove all wolves in and around
Yellowstone National Park "a devastating setback" to conservation efforts even
though a January 2000 appeals court reversed the lower court's
ruling.
The study, which is available online at WWW.DEFENDERS.ORG, contains several quotes
from Berger's 1971 study criticizing Farm Bureau. Berger later moved on
to become an important trade lawyer in Washington. A National Security
Council spokeswoman did not return a call seeking comment from Berger
by press time.
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