Gov. Pawlenty has a record of partnering with corporate ag. The Livestock Task Force that he appointed was almost identical to the membership of the Agri-Growth Council, who is on record stating that local governance is a problem for livestock expansion in Minnesota.
In other words, democratically elected officials who represent the residents of a township have too much jurisdiction on whether or not a 6,600-head cow dairy or 5,700-head sow factory farm should be allowed to be established in your backyard. After much bad press and limited success, the Agri-Growth Council appears to have spun off another group called the Food and Farm Coalition.
After spending an unbelievable amount of money on radio, TV, and magazine articles, it appears that their argument in favor of large livestock expansion is inaccurate. Imagine that! Reality Check on WCCO even stated the advertisements were misleading. We are blessed with the return of the bald eagle because of environmental activists.
Activism gave women the right to vote and activism broke down the walls of discrimination when Martin Luther King acted on his dream for America. I am proud to defend my community rights to discuss and decide local policy in an open government meeting. That might be activism to Gov. Pawlenty, but I think of it as democracy.
Why, Gov. Pawlenty, is it so wrong for me to be concerned about the environment, my community, my family, my business, my neighbors' business, my school, (yes, it takes more than pigs, cows, and turkeys to keep a school open -- it takes families), my property values, my health, future generations, and my rights as a citizen? Why do you believe taking my rights away will add more livestock farms in Minnesota?
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Local control is not the problem; consolidation in our livestock sector is and always has been. I guess democracy just gets in the way when it comes to making money for corporate ag. Mike Hatch is the only choice for governor if you want someone who truly cares about rural Minnesota.
Jim Falk
Murdock
