Audacious Idea Nine: A New Alliance
Audacious Idea Nine: A New Alliance
By William Klett
As panic and deperation begin to take hold in the face of low commodity prices, there is talk of taking up the next farm bill in
the near term. Whether or not this happens, whenever the next one is being drawn up, an alliance of beekeepers, wildlife interests, organic/sustainable ag people and their concerned consumers needs to step up and insist upon a place at the table.
This need not be hostile toward the big ag interests already benefitting from taxpayer support systems. It should be focused on stating what is obvious and reasonable: if the public is going to support agriculture, there should be incentives to use land in a way that produces food with minimal chemical input and that supports pollinators and wildlife. Ideologies and peripheral issues, dear to us as they may be, should be kept to an absolute minimum. We’re not out to make enemies or further polarize people. There is nothing extreme about advocating for land use that doesn’t eradicate habitat and contaminate land, air and water. I don’t think there will be anything easy about this.
But if land use doesn’t change for the better and soon, what future do pollinators and wildlife really have?
