LAND was organized over 10 years ago in response to Sodbuster and Swampbuster legislation with the same purpose in mind. Our mission statement begins: We are dedicated to the preservation of the revenue generating activities of our farmers and ranchers.

One of the most important factors in a strong farm economy is a strong infrastructure including transportation and the service, supply and marketing businesses we all depend upon.

I see a threat to our profitability equal to or greater than Sodbuster and Swampbuster in the direction and philosophy our government is taking concerning agriculture. It seems farmers are told to not produce and this lost income is replaced with government payments in the name of CRP, WRP, Water Bank, ASAP (Water storage in the upper Devils Lake basin) etc. For every acre taken out of production, the businesses that supply our inputs and those whom we sell to each lose $100, generally speaking.

I see these programs that replace production income with government payments as counter productive in the long term. Wouldn't government money be better spent in leveling the playing field for the North Dakota farmer and getting excess production to those who need it?

USDA, Economic Research Service has published a 100 page report, "Wetlands in Agriculture, Private interests and Public benefits." This report looks at government subsidies as related to wetland preservation with a fine tooth comb. In a nutshell, the report concludes that the only leverage the government has in preserving wetlands is through government payments and the threat of loss of payments, should Swampbuster be violated.

At least they’ve now admitted what we’ve suspected for years.