Blind leadership frustrates farmers

Like many others, farmers like to know where they’re going. Following elected representatives who don’t know or won’t reveal where they’re headed confuses them.

Growers of annual crops must know well ahead of planting time which crops they will have a market for. Whether they will receive enough water to irrigate those crops has become a major issue. Those who grow permanent crops such as fruits and nuts face the same challenges, and often must pull out entire blocks of trees or vines when the market or resources fail them.

The least farmers should expect is a commitment from political representatives about their intentions. In too many cases recently they have not received that.

Of course, the farm community has learned that politicians they helped elect to voice and present their interests in Sacramento or Washington often get steamrolled by others in their parties who don’t represent farmer interests. That has become the rule of the day in California.

Even though she and her husband own a Napa Valley vineyard House Speaker Nancy Pelosi does not represent a California farm point of view. Farmers have to guess where she’d headed because she has not made her destination clear. Only through day to day statements and actions are they able to gain a profile of her intentions.

Similar lack of distinction comes from California Congressman Henry Waxman. Because his West Los Angeles district is so urbanized and full of liberal leaning suburbanites he can ignore the state’s farmers without a twinge of conscience.

Then we come to Congressman George Miller from Contra Costa County. He has opposed a typical California farm point of view for so many years no farmer has to guess where he will come down on agricultural issues. He has been on agriculture’s enemies list since he was first elected.

Farmers know where Miller is going on almost every issue that comes up. He doesn’t have to tell them. They just don’t want to follow him.

What they don’t know is where Speaker Pelosi, Congressman Waxman, Senators Boxer and Feinstein are leading them. The same can be said for several other state and national legislators who represent districts where agriculture is a significant factor.

It appears that Speaker Pelosi is willing to follow President Obama right through a government takeover of a number of traditionally free enterprises, not the least of which is health care. It doesn’t seem to matter to her if that road leads to a total breakdown of the country’s free market system. It does matter to the agricultural community.

The President has not been entirely forthright either as to the eventual destination he hopes to reach. Today’s generation seems to believe that telling half the truth is more than enough, especially if you are a politician and it gets you elected.

Farmers have no monopoly on honesty, because that character trait is rooted in the country’s founding principles. But those roots have grown strong and deep in agriculture. Farmers are wondering why honesty doesn’t have a higher priority among political representatives.

If Marxism is a politician’s ultimate destination he or she ought to be forthright enough to say so. Don’t count on it; saying and doing what is expedient instead makes them more electable.

Many politicians are taking large numbers of people with them to their secret collectivist destinations. Very few farmers want to go there. Unfortunately, just staying down on the farm probably enough for them to avoid the dreaded trip.

--Don Curlee is an agriculture consultant in the Valley. His column appears each Monday in The Recorder.