Rallying Against Climate Change

Rallying Against Climate Change. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.
The climate change legislation that is currently making its way through Congress has brought out a lot of people and a lot of ideas both positive and negative. This August, Farm Bureau members across the country are rallying in opposition to the legislation.

LYON: They are meeting and engaging in town hall meetings set up by congressional offices. They are even holding some of their own town hall meetings with lawmakers kinda setting their own agenda. They are attending different rallies that are going to be held around the country. Farm Bureau members are also doing farm tours with legislators and staffs showing them how their operations will be directly impacted by climate change legislation, what they would have to do if this bill were to pass.

American Farm Bureau Director of Grassroots and Advocacy Cody Lyon explains why Farm Bureau members are so actively engaged against climate change legislation.

LYON: It will have tremendous impact on farmers and ranchers throughout the countryside for higher fuel costs. And there will just be no way for farmers and ranchers to kind of offset what those rising costs are going to be. It’s just a bad piece of legislation for farmers and ranchers.

Lyon says now is the time to engage lawmakers while they are back in their districts during august recess.

LYON: When it comes to any legislation lawmakers want to hear from their constituents. They want to hear from those people who have a story to tell, those people who will be directly impacted from what they are going to vote on. Farmers and ranchers are impacted and they absolutely need to tell their lawmakers during august what their concerns are.

Lyon says farmers and ranchers have a tremendous amount of influence in Washington.

LYON: Farmers and ranchers have a tremendous amount of influence, tremendous amount of respect. But they really need to get their message across on how important this legislation will be on their operations.

Lyon tells listeners how they can get involved.

LYON: Contact your state Farm Bureau. The state Farm Bureau is going to have a lot of different ways for members to get involved and is going to have a lot of different opportunities for members to share their story with lawmakers. It can be as simple as making a phone call, sending a letter, sending an email, meeting with the lawmaker when they’re going to be back home in the district.

Farm Bureau has decided to spearhead this effort and definitely has its pulse on the ground.

LYON: The State Farm Bureau is going to have their pulse on the ground and know exactly what’s going on and the best way for that farm bureau member to really get involved, share their story with the lawmaker and have an impact and influence on this piece of legislation.

That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.