CONGRESS AGRICULTURE CHAIR COLLIN PETERSON: PAYING MORE FOR ORGANIC OR LOCAL FOOD IS "DUMB"

[BrklynLib at work]

CONGRESS AGRICULTURE CHAIR COLLIN PETERSON: PAYING MORE FOR ORGANIC OR LOCAL FOOD IS "DUMB"

From an MSNBC.com Financial Times Oct. 17, 2007 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21349573/

Collin Peterson, chairman of the House of Representatives agricultural committee, says the farm sector that raises organic produce and grass-fed beef for local consumers needs little federal help. "It is growing, and it has nothing to do with the government, and that is good," he told the FT. "For whatever reason, people are willing to pay two or three times as much for something that says 'organic' or 'local'. Far be it from me to understand what that's about, but that's reality. And if people are dumb enough to pay that much then hallelujah."

To send a message to Collin Peterson (Democrat, MN) congratulating him for getting the Organic Consumers Association award for the dumbest quote of the week: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_8104.cfm


While at the same time.........
SENATE PREPARES TO RUBBER STAMP "BUSINESS AS USUAL" FARM BILL
The Senate Agriculture Committee approved its draft of the $300 billion 2007-2012 Farm Bill last week. The 1300-page bill, now headed to the main Senate floor, includes, as usual, billions of dollars of taxpayer subsidies for chemical and energy­intensive crops, factory farms, and junk food purveyors, while "nickle and dime-ing" organic agriculture, conservation, nutrition, and alternative energy programs. Let your Senators know you want to eliminate all taxpayer subsidies, other than those designed to make our food and farming system healthier and more sustainable, and specifically you want a "Fair Share" for organics commensurate with our current 3% market share. Besides billions in corporate subsidies, this version of the Farm Bill includes implementation of the controversial National Animal Identification System (NAIS). NAIS would require that all farmers, even those with just one cow, horse, or chicken, to implant their animals with an electronic tracking device and permanently report their movements to the USDA. This expensive Big Brother procedure, which lobbyists crafted so as to exempt factory farms, could put many small family farms out of business. Please contact your Senators to cut corporate subsidies, eliminate NAIS, and support increases in funding in the Farm Bill for for conservation, organic agriculture, healthy food and beginning farmer programs.
Take Action: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_7765.cfm

[shain from kane]

1. This idiot should get his groceries delivered by The Love Canal route. n/t

[kestrel91316]

2. Rep. Peterson may be a "Democrat", but he is OBVIOUSLY just

another mouthpiece for Big Agriculture and seriously needs to be voted out of office next time around. What a shill for the status quo and industrial-scale farming.

[Richard Steele]

3. Yup, his statement makes that pretty clear. nm

[dflprincess]

5. Colin Peterson represents Minnesota's 7th District

At my last (state) senate district meeting the 3rd district rep from the Coordinated Campaign said the DNC thinks it has a shot at taking all 8 of Minnesota's Congressional seats. I did not endear myself to anyone when I asked "Including the 7th District?"

[Cha]

10. Sweet! Princess!

Ya tried! I had to rewrite some of my post cause I assumed collen was an r.

[Cha]

12. They're doing more than their

share to kill the soil..I'm betting Big Bad Ag just loved ol' collen's statement..Thought it was real cute just like collen did. :silly:

[cynthia]

15. It's Colin - a guy, not Colleen, a female.

nt

[BridgeTheGap]

4. I like a good dose of chemicals on my veggies and plenty of

bovine growth hormone in my beef. I also like my food shipped in from half way around the world, what with added fuel costs and all.

[AngryAmish]

6. Veggies are a collection of chemicals

[BridgeTheGap]

7. I'm talk'n about the pesticide and fertilizer varieties of chemicals

I guess I didn't make that clear enough.

[Cha]

11. Well, aren't you just

the little :sarcasm: dude~ :)

[Cha]

8. Mere words can not describe the

depth of Dumbness of collin peterson's statement.."For whatever reason, people are willing to pay two or three times as much for something that says 'organic' or 'local'. Far be it from me to understand what that's about, but that's reality. And if people are dumb enough to pay that much then hallelujah."

I'm sorry a dem isn't smarter...I thought for sure there would be an r after the name.

Nosmokes is gonna love this! I've saving this to send to our co-op in hopes we'll print it out and post it(Expose the Idiots) with out local produce and organic farmer's produce that sells even before I can get to it, sometimes.

Actually, our local organic produce is cheaper cause we're up here in New York with a shorter growing season and our organic comes mostly from California..although, we did get some fantastic organic, juicy limes from Florida two weeks ago.

[Cha]

9. Fifth Rec'd!

Yay!

[vireo]

13. They should call it "the Earl Butz Award"

For Stupidity in Agriculture.

[MadHound]

14. Gee, and the Dems wonder why small, organic, heirloom farmers like myself

Find it harder and harder to support them. Dumbass statements like this and their obvious corporate farming bias are two big reasons.

[jaksavage]

16. Wake up and smell the roses.

So far off base
The local foods we get are better than any import
most of the time they are cheaper , BUY LOCAL.
I never pay more than 50% over regular produce for organic.
But corporations are into organics in a big way.

The midwestern grain farmers( around 1000 of them ), who recieve the lions share of
these moneys , seem to have lots of money for lawyers/lobbiests.

Their crops are vital to us , and the world.
But as a careful consumer we all have to take responsability for what we consume.
Or not.

Vote out all incumbants.
Repeat.