Press Releases

AAM CALLS FOR COMPLETION OF CLIMATE AND ENERGY LEGISLATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 5, 2009 Press Release #14 President, AAM, Inc. Larry Matlack (620) 727-0333 larry@stingerltd.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Matlack Commends Stabenow Initiative for Agriculture and Endorses Wyden Bill for Biomass WASHINGTON (RuralWire), Nov 5, 2009 –Larry Matlack, President of the American Agriculture Movement (AAM), today called upon the U.S. Senate to advance and complete action on pending energy and climate bills. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill combining both last June. “Climate change must be addressed legislatively because the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2007 that the EPA must regulate Green House Gas (GHG) emissions,” stated Matlack. “Failure to address the issue legislatively will result in the EPA doing so through regulations, which they are already beginning to do, and the courts through litigation.” “I want to personally commend Senator Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., for her work to address the needs of production agriculture in this process,” said Matlack. “As with similar efforts by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., AAM supports her initiative and urges its inclusion in the final Senate bill.” “In addition to the climate bill moving through the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, AAM calls for swift action on the energy bill pending in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,” explained Matlack. “We are very interested in advancing the energy bill and call for the inclusion of a measure introduced by Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore. Wyden’s ‘Renewable Energy Alternative Production Act,’ or the ‘REAP Act’ (S. 1094), will provide renewable energy initiatives for biomass in the form of Production Tax Credits (PTC) for non-electric renewable energy productions similar to the PTC for wind and other renewable electricity generation.” “AAM has worked for years with ACORE and 25x’25 to develop sound policies for renewable energy from farms and forests,” added Matlack. “We support the policy recommendations of both groups and the recommended government incentives to achieve those policy goals. I fully believe that the pending energy and climate bill will create and save jobs in rural America, help move us toward energy independence, keep energy more affordable in the long run and help reduce pollution.” (30) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * AAM stands for food and fiber producer and commodity PARITY. Parity is a term that denotes a fair commodity price adjusted for inflation to the commodity prices.  The Statutory Parity Index, established during the depression of the 1930s, reflects prices received in 1910-1914 (considered to be the last 5 normal years prior to the outbreak of World War I) when producers, middlemen, and consumers had a balanced income. Today, many commodities average less than PARITY. Meanwhile costs of trucks, combines, implements, tractors, and hired help have risen dramatically. AAM still demands a parity price for commodities. Go to AAM's website: http://www.aaminc.org/ for more information.

AAM NATIONAL WAGON MASTER HONORED BY FARM AID

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 8, 2009 Press Release #13 President, AAM, Inc. Larry Matlack (620) 727-0333 larry@stingerltd.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Gerald McCarthern Receives Tribute from Willie Nelson on Thirtieth Anniversary of Washington, D.C. Tractorcade WASHINGTON (RuralWire), October 8, 2009 –Gerald McCathern, the chief organizer of the American Agriculture Movement (AAM) Tractorcade on the nation’s capital three decades ago, was honored by Farm Aid President Willie Nelson recently at the this year’s Farm Aid concert in St. Louis, Mo.   “I have the utmost respect and admiration for rabble-rousers like you, Gerald, who stand up for what they believe – for what is right—and inspired by others to do the same,” said Nelson.  “Your determination and leadership inspire us all to this day.”   McCathern, who organized the grassroots farm protest on Washington, D.C. in 1979 and an acclaimed western novelist from Herford, Texas, was on hand at the Farm Aid concert to personally receive the accolades from Nelson, as well as an official proclamation sent by Texas Governor Rick Perry recognizing McCathern’s leadership.   McCathern explained that the late Marvin Meek, AAM’s first national chairman, assigned him the title of “National Wagon Master” and the task of organizing a major protest in the nation’s capitol to highlight the plight of America’s farm and ranch families.  “I really didn’t know where to start such a process,” reported McCathern.  “We knew that our movement included approximately 2.5 million farmers at the time, but we sure didn’t know that we would facilitate the mobilization of over 3,000 tractors and over 10,000 famers, some of which traveled almost the entire breadth of the continent, to all arrive in Washington at the same time.”   “We figured we could travel 100 miles per day,” explain McCathern.  “So we laid a map out on the table, broke a matchstick to a length equal to 100 miles on the map and planned accordingly to determine where and when farmers from every community would start their journey.  It worked well, even during inclement winter weather and well before cell phones or the internet.  Thousands of tractors and farmers converged on D.C. on Feb. 5, 1979.”   Nelson added, “Please accept our sincere thanks and appreciation for strengthening the movement for family farmers and bringing the voice of thousands of farmers to Washington and the entire nation.  All the best to you Gerald as we all continue to struggle to keep family farmers on the land and work to build the movement for good food from family farms.” (30) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * AAM stands for food and fiber producer and commodity PARITY. Parity is a term that denotes a fair commodity price adjusted for inflation to the commodity prices.  The Statutory Parity Index, established during the depression of the 1930s, reflects prices received in 1910-1914 (considered to be the last 5 normal years prior to the outbreak of World War I) when producers, middlemen, and consumers had a balanced income. Today, many commodities average less than PARITY. Meanwhile costs of trucks, combines, implements, tractors, and hired help have risen dramatically. AAM still demands a parity price for commodities. Go to AAM's website: http://www.aaminc.org/ for more information.

OIL MUST GO THE WAY OF SALT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 6, 2009 Press Release #12 President, AAM, Inc. Larry Matlack (620) 727-0333 larry@stingerltd.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   An Editorial Comment by Larry Matlack, President American Agriculture Movement October 6, 2009 History teaches us that salt and the control of it was a major source of power over people and nations because it was the only way to preserve food and thus life. With the invention of refrigeration that power to control went away. When renewable energy in its great number of forms is available locally to almost all people and nations, becoming the energy standard, then the power of oil to control people and nations will have gone the way of salt. It will still be here and still be used in some applications but with no control. In a recent piece concerning energy legislation pending in the U.S. Senate written by Lou Schwartz he states, “The United States Senate possesses the key to address the most critical national security issue that the country presently faces. Will the Senate act decisively and without delay to protect our vital national interests or will it dither as Iran builds a nuclear bomb and further destabilizes the world?” The American Agriculture Movement (AAM) has been a leader in advocating domestic, renewable energy development since our founding over three decades ago.  Towards that goal, AAM is a very strong advocate of accelerating the advancement of biomass energy for industrial heat and power as well as cellulosic ethanol made from non-food crops.  AAM continues our vehement support for corn based ethanol as a key component of an overall renewable energy plan, but also realizes that it is not the singular answer to obtaining energy independence. We must move forward with alternative feedstocks for ethanol production and other forms of renewable energy as soon as possible. A key component of our new national energy policy should therefore include provisions such as the Renewable Energy Alternative Production Act or the “REAP Act” (S. 1094) introduced by Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., that will provide a Production Tax Credit (PTC) for non-electric renewable energy production for the same ten-year time period as does the current PTC for wind and other renewable electricity generation.  America’s farmers have always risen to the challenges of our nation, from Lexington to Baghdad, and AAM will never retreat from fulfilling our objectives for America’s energy independence.  We stand ready, willing and able to lead the way to advance our nation towards that objective.  We call for the Senate to act swiftly and deliberately to provide advanced renewable energy policies so that we can relegate the roll of oil to that of salt in our everyday lives – a necessity, but one that lacks the power to control people and nations.   (30) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * AAM stands for food and fiber producer and commodity PARITY. Parity is a term that denotes a fair commodity price adjusted for inflation to the commodity prices.  The Statutory Parity Index, established during the depression of the 1930s, reflects prices received in 1910-1914 (considered to be the last 5 normal years prior to the outbreak of World War I) when producers, middlemen, and consumers had a balanced income. Today, many commodities average less than PARITY. Meanwhile costs of trucks, combines, implements, tractors, and hired help have risen dramatically. AAM still demands a parity price for commodities. Go to AAM's website: http://www.aaminc.org/ for more information.

AAM CALLS FOR COMPLETION OF ENERGY AND CLIMATE LEGISLATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 16, 2009 Press Release #11 President, AAM, Inc. Larry Matlack (620) 727-0333 larry@stingerltd.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Properly Designed Program Holds Tremendous Opportunity to Maximize Creation of Green Jobs in Rural America WASHINGTON (RuralWire), September 16, 2009 –Larry Matlack, President of the American Agriculture Movement (AAM), today called upon the U.S. Senate to advance and complete action on pending energy and climate legislation which passed the U.S. House of Representatives in June. “Climate change must be addressed legislatively because the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2007 that the EPA must regulate Green House Gas (GHG) emissions,” stated Matlack.  “Failure to address the issue legislatively will result in the EPA doing so through regulations and the courts through litigation.” “I have always felt that ‘we the people’ had more influence through legislation and the legislative branch than through regulation and litigation through the executive and judicial branches”, added Matlack.  “We elect the House and Senate directly.  We elect the President through the Electoral College and the federal judges are appointed.” Climate and energy legislation passed the House on June 26 by a vote of 219 to 212.  The Senate had planned to take action on the measure in Sept., but that schedule been delayed due to healthcare, appropriations and other pressing issues. “There is an old saying in government that if you want more of something you subsidize it and if you want less you tax it.  There have been previous discussions on taxing carbon emissions, such as the Clinton BTU tax proposal from the mid 1990s,” explained Matlack.  “But, as of now, Congress is attempting to construct a third option with a market-based approach of capping GHG emissions and allowing the free market trading of carbon credits between those that exceed the cap and those that emit less than the cap.”  “The most recent analysis of the House bill by EPA found that it would cost U.S. households somewhere between $80 and $111 per year, said Matlack.  “It will cost farmers more because we use more energy and energy related products such as fertilizer.  But farmers will also receive more for selling their carbon credits.” According to last month’s analysis by Iowa State, the extra costs for corn and soybean producers in that state (using a benchmark of $20/ton for carbon) will increase costs by $4.52 per acre.  They also calculate an income of about $8.00 per acre from the sale of carbon credits, also based on $20/ton carbon. “I fully believe that the pending energy and climate bill will create and save jobs in rural America, help move us toward energy independence, keep energy more affordable in the long run and help reduce pollution,” concluded Matlack. (30) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * AAM stands for food and fiber producer and commodity PARITY. Parity is a term that denotes a fair commodity price adjusted for inflation to the commodity prices.  The Statutory Parity Index, established during the depression of the 1930s, reflects prices received in 1910-1914 (considered to be the last 5 normal years prior to the outbreak of World War I) when producers, middlemen, and consumers had a balanced income. Today, many commodities average less than PARITY. Meanwhile costs of trucks, combines, implements, tractors, and hired help have risen dramatically. AAM still demands a parity price for commodities. Go to AAM's website: http://www.aaminc.org/ for more information.

AAM COMMENDS DOJ AND USDA FOR NEW ANTITRUST INITIATIVE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 27, 2009 Press Release #10 President, AAM, Inc. Larry Matlack (620) 727-0333 larry@stingerltd.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Matlack Praises Fred Stokes and OCM for Tenacity on Competition Issues WASHINGTON (RuralWire), Aug 27, 2009 –Larry Matlack, President of the American Agriculture Movement (AAM), today commended U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack for their leadership and initiative in addressing competition issues in agriculture.   “America’s farm and ranch families wholeheartedly embrace this new and long-awaited initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to address the lack of competition in agriculture,” proclaimed Matlack. “For too many years lack of true competition has contributed to prices for farm commodities well below the cost of production. This lack of competition in our markets has devastated family farmers, increased the cost to taxpayers for farm programs and increased our balance of trade deficit.  Lack of market competition has also devastated farm markets in Mexico and is a major contributing factor to increasing migration of workers entering the U.S. from Mexico.”   Earlier this month DOJ and USDA announced upcoming joint public workshops to explore competition issues affecting the agriculture industry in the 21st century and the appropriate role for antitrust and regulatory enforcement in that industry. These are the first joint Department of Justice/USDA workshops ever to be held to discuss competition and regulatory issues in the agriculture industry.  This action follows an official announcement last May that DOJ’s antitrust division withdrew anti-monopoly legal guidelines issued under the previous administration and signaled closer scrutiny of some industries.  “The recently announced joint action with DOJ and USDA lets us know that agriculture was one of those industries discussed back in May,” added Matlack.   “Competition requires competitors that do not have market dominance in any given commodity or region and regulation must prevent information manipulation by competitors to influence speculative selling and buying of commodities. This is the only way a fair and free commodities market can survive and flourish.”   “I personally wish to praise Fred Stocks, founder of the Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM), for his tenacity on this issue so critical to America’s farm and ranch families,” concluded Matlack.  “Fred and OCM have been the driving force in public awareness of the lack of competition in U.S. markets for many years.  His work will not go unnoticed and is greatly appreciated.”     (30) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * AAM stands for food and fiber producer and commodity PARITY. Parity is a term that denotes a fair commodity price adjusted for inflation to the commodity prices.  The Statutory Parity Index, established during the depression of the 1930s, reflects prices received in 1910-1914 (considered to be the last 5 normal years prior to the outbreak of World War I) when producers, middlemen, and consumers had a balanced income. Today, many commodities average less than PARITY. Meanwhile costs of trucks, combines, implements, tractors, and hired help have risen dramatically. AAM still demands a parity price for commodities. Go to AAM's website: http://www.aaminc.org/ for more information.

AAM COMMENDS CHAIRMAN PETERSON'S INITIATIVES ON CAP AND TRADE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 16, 2009 Press Release #9 President, AAM, Inc. Larry Matlack (620) 727-0333 larry@stingerltd.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Properly Designed Program Holds Tremendous Opportunity to Maximize Creation of Green Jobs in Rural America WASHINGTON (RuralWire), June 16, 2009 –Larry Matlack, President of the American Agriculture Movement (AAM), today commended Congressman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., and Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture for his work to improve the pending climate bill to provide opportunities and safeguards for the nation’s farmers and ranchers.   “We must reduce our dependence on foreign energy and seek all that American agriculture can provide from our ability to produce vast amounts of biomass,” stated Matlack.  “I would also tell you that the American Agricultural Movement does firmly believe that if there is a Carbon Cap and Trade Program, it must benefit agriculture.  Not just because we want to benefit but because of two more important reasons for America: first, agriculture provides the lowest possible cost system to actually allow this country to reduce its carbon footprint and second, agriculture can be the greatest single contributor to the reduction of greenhouse gases. But agriculture must receive a fair price for carbon offsets with minimum price protection to assure CO2 reduction.”   “AAM applauds the efforts by Chairman Peterson to make sure we get this right,” added Matlack.  “We believe that a cap and trade program could be a tremendous opportunity if it is designed properly to maximize creation of good, green jobs in rural America.  It could be a great renaissance and rebirth in the rural economy, but only if the pending bill is amended to address the issues advanced by Chairman Peterson.”   “We encourage Congress to make sure that all facets of the program are develop in the best possible way to maximize the job creation benefits and the economic return to farm and ranch families,” Matlack said.  “American agriculture has too long had an over capacity to produce too much food and fiber.  That over capacity has devastated our earning power, caused us to send our young people off to the city to seek jobs and too often those jobs are then shipped overseas. We can build a new, green economy that can create good non-exportable jobs in America’s heartland.”   “Sustainability is a buzzword that is driving much of the debate about how to deal with climate change,” concluded Matlack.  “I wish to make it clear that the economic sustainability of American agriculture is perhaps the most important sustainability goal of all.”     (30) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * AAM stands for food and fiber producer and commodity PARITY. Parity is a term that denotes a fair commodity price adjusted for inflation to the commodity prices.  The Statutory Parity Index, established during the depression of the 1930s, reflects prices received in 1910-1914 (considered to be the last 5 normal years prior to the outbreak of World War I) when producers, middlemen, and consumers had a balanced income. Today, many commodities average less than PARITY. Meanwhile costs of trucks, combines, implements, tractors, and hired help have risen dramatically. AAM still demands a parity price for commodities. Go to AAM's website: http://www.aaminc.org/ for more information.

AAM PRESIDENT QUESTIONS MOTIVES OF GOODLATTE ON E15 OPPOSITION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAY 18, 2009 Press Release #8 President, AAM, Inc. Larry Matlack (620) 727-0333 larry@stingerltd.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   RANKING MEMBER OF HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE IS AT ODDS WITH FARMERS WASHINGTON (RuralWire), May 18, 2009 –Larry Matlack, President of the American Agriculture Movement (AAM), is questioning the motives of Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) in his opposition to increasing the ethanol blend in gasoline to 15 percent.  Goodlatte is the ranking minority member of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture.   “I seriously question the motives of Representative Goodlatte in his opposition to increasing the use of domestic, renewable ethanol in our motor fuel,” stated Matlack.  “We must advance the goals of creating jobs in our own fuel industry rather than sending more money overseas.   “Everyone knows, as the former CIA director R James Woolsey has stated many times, that some of the petro dollars that we send to the Mideast end up in the hands of those funding and supporting radical extremists.  If Mr. Goodlatte was to get his way, we would be sending even more money into the hands of those killing our American soldiers,” added Matlack.  “He is asking the President to aid the enemy with more U.S. dollars and I consider this TREASON as defined in Article III Section 3 U.S. Constitution which leads me to question Mr. Goodlatte’s motives.”   Matlack explained that Goodlatte’s motives might be revealed in his recent campaign contributions from moneyed interests bent on keeping corn and other farm products cheap.  According to information obtained from OpenSecrets.com, AAM found that during the 2008 campaign cycle, Goodlatte received $223,000 (42 percent of his overall campaign donations) from food processors, food retailers, agribusiness and others that profit from buying from farmers at inequitably cheap prices.   “Asking the President to commit treason and keep farmers on welfare rather than allowing the continued growth of the American renewable energy industry seems illogical even for Congress,” concluded Matlack.  “America’s family farmers and ranchers can feed and fuel our nation if folks like Congressman Goodlatte will just get out of the way and let us do our jobs.”     (30) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * AAM stands for food and fiber producer and commodity PARITY. Parity is a term that denotes a fair commodity price adjusted for inflation to the commodity prices.  The Statutory Parity Index, established during the depression of the 1930s, reflects prices received in 1910-1914 (considered to be the last 5 normal years prior to the outbreak of World War I) when producers, middlemen, and consumers had a balanced income. Today, many commodities average less than PARITY. Meanwhile costs of trucks, combines, implements, tractors, and hired help have risen dramatically. AAM still demands a parity price for commodities. Go to AAM's website: http://www.aaminc.org/ for more information.

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S TRIP TO MEXICO ONCE AGAIN HIGHLIGHTS THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF U.S. FARM POLICY ON MEXICO'S FARMERS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE APRIL 22, 2009 Press Release #7 President, AAM, Inc. Larry Matlack (620) 727-0333 larry@stingerltd.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   An Editorial Comment by Larry Matlack, President American Agriculture Movement April 22, 2009 The news that surrounded last week’s visit to Mexico by President Obama regarding Mexican corn farmers may have come as a surprise to some but not to those that have followed the issue since the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).   Several interviews were broadcast on the U.S. television news services which highlighted the fact that Mexican farmers cannot compete with subsidized corn imported from the U.S.  These farmers were forced to move into the makeshift dwellings in the shadows of Mexico City.  As advocates for family farmers, in the U.S. and abroad, AAM has worked to make this catastrophe known and has worked with Congress in an attempt to correct the injustice for many years.   As we know, NAFTA eliminated Mexican import restrictions on U.S. corn.  Soon after the ratification of NAFTA, Freedom to Farm eliminated the floor price mechanism for U.S. corn.  Not long after that our Washington policy makers decided not to segregate or label genetically modified corn and we lost our corn export markets to the European Union, Japan and South Korea.  The net result was a large volume of cheap U.S. corn dumped onto the Mexican markets. This in turn displaced hundreds of thousands, possibly millions of Mexican farmers, causing many to illegally cross into the United States to find work to support their families.   Supporting corn prices at the market with a fair loan rate would be a much better option than our current system of paying subsidies that allowed cheap corn to steal the livelihoods of Mexican farmers, gave the American taxpayer a bill for corn subsidies and illegal immigration. Even if we do not care about the monetary cost, the moral shame is ours to bear.   This is just another example of the indirect and unintended consequences of U.S. farm and trade policy.  But more importantly, this atrocity is another example of the reason all family farmers need and deserve a fair price for the fruits of their labor, not taxpayer subsidies.   We may not be able to overturn NAFTA or put the GMO Genie back into the bottle.  But we can reestablish fair prices for U.S. famers with better farm policy and in turn help the farmers of Mexico and the world.  AAM works to keep farm and ranch families on the land – everywhere.   (30) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * AAM stands for food and fiber producer and commodity PARITY. Parity is a term that denotes a fair commodity price adjusted for inflation to the commodity prices.  The Statutory Parity Index, established during the depression of the 1930s, reflects prices received in 1910-1914 (considered to be the last 5 normal years prior to the outbreak of World War I) when producers, middlemen, and consumers had a balanced income. Today, many commodities average less than PARITY. Meanwhile costs of trucks, combines, implements, tractors, and hired help have risen dramatically. AAM still demands a parity price for commodities. Go to AAM's website: http://www.aaminc.org/ for more information.

AAM CONCURS WITH NFU'S CALL FOR INTERNATIONAL GRAIN RESERVES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 24, 2009 Press Release #6 President, AAM, Inc. Larry Matlack (620) 727-0333 larry@stingerltd.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   THE US HAS NO GRAIN RESERVES WASHINGTON (RuralWire), March 24, 2009 –Larry Matlack, President of the American Agriculture Movement (AAM), commended and concurred with Robert Carlson, National Farmers Union (NFU) Director of International Relations, and his call this week for an international grain reserve.   “According to the March 1, 2009 CCC inventory report, there is no wheat, corn, or any other grain left the entire CCC inventory,” warned Matlack.  “America needs a grain reserve, as does the world.  We fully support the NFU initiative announced at this week’s meeting of farmer organizations from the Group of Eight industrialized countries in Rome.”   “This lack of emergency preparedness is the fault of the 1996 farm bill, which eliminated the government’s grain reserves as well as the Farmer Owned Reserve (FOR),” explained Matlack.  “We had hoped to reinstate the FOR and a Strategic Energy Grain Reserve in the new farm bill, but the politics of food defeated our efforts.  As farmers, it is our calling and purpose in life to feed our families, our communities, our nation and a good part of the world, but we need better planning and coordination if we are going to meet that purpose.  AAM pledges to continue our work for better farm policy which includes a FOR, a Strategic Energy Grain Reserve and an international grain reserve.”   AAM’s support for the FOR program, which allows the grain to be stored on farms, is a key component to a safe grain reserve in that the supplies will be decentralized in the event of some unforeseen calamity which might befall the large grain storage terminals.  A Strategic Energy Grain Reserve is as crucial for the nation’s domestic energy needs as the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.  AAM also supports full funding for the replenishment and expansion of Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust.   “There should be a reestablishment of federally owned and federally supported farmer owned strategic grain and food reserves for the nation’s national security, food security, livestock sector, renewable fuels industries and international famine relief,” said Matlack.   The CCC Inventory report may be reviewed at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/wid2a.pdf. The CCC is a federal government-owned and operated entity that was created to stabilize, support, and protect farm income and prices. CCC is also supposed to maintain balanced and adequate supplies of agricultural commodities and aids in their orderly distribution.     (30) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * AAM stands for food and fiber producer and commodity PARITY. Parity is a term that denotes a fair commodity price adjusted for inflation to the commodity prices.  The Statutory Parity Index, established during the depression of the 1930s, reflects prices received in 1910-1914 (considered to be the last 5 normal years prior to the outbreak of World War I) when producers, middlemen, and consumers had a balanced income. Today, many commodities average less than PARITY. Meanwhile costs of trucks, combines, implements, tractors, and hired help have risen dramatically. AAM still demands a parity price for commodities. Go to AAM's website: http://www.aaminc.org/ for more information.

SECRETARY VILSACK IS ON TARGET REGARDING FARMERS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 2, 2009 Press Release #5 President, AAM, Inc. Larry Matlack (620) 727-0333 larry@stingerltd.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   An Editorial Comment by Larry Matlack, President American Agriculture Movement March 2, 2009 I want to personally commend Agriculture Secretary Vilsack for his recent statements concerning how farmers should diversify their business plans to include renewable energy as a revenue source.  There are those that have lambasted the newly sworn in Secretary for his remarks that fixed payments may not be politically sustainable, but he is again on target as the new 2010 federal budget proposal offered by President Obama this week verifies.    Fixed subsidies are not politically sustainable and should have never been enacted as a substitute for price supports such as the non-recourse commodity loan program that was once the backbone of the federal farm program.  More importantly, farmers have always been in the renewable energy business.  A century ago at the dawn of the petroleum age, approximately half of what was raised on an average U.S. farm went to power the farms animal and people power and much of the rest of their crops went for energy needs in the local community.  Inexpensive and abundant petroleum displaced our locally produced renewable farm energy.  In today’s world petroleum is no longer inexpensive or abundant and it is high time that farmers take our place and part of our income from our ability to produce energy.   It is important to point out that producing renewable energy on our farms, such as biomass which included dedicated crops or the gathering of crop residues, is a part of our future and offers the greatest opportunity for farmers in size, scope, and income. One of the reasons this is true is because much of the pricing and selling of biomass will be by contract between the buyer and seller rather than an arbitrary pricing structure controlled by speculation which too often has nothing to do with the cost of production.  I believe if we were to compare the number of farms going out of business whose principal crop was hay compared to any other crop or livestock farm over the last twenty years this is verifiable.   I again praise Secretary Vilsack for his forward thinking on renewable energy and the roll farmers can play but remind him of four things; 1) Non-recourse marketing loans cost far less than direct payments as a method to provide a farm safety net, 2) We do not need just another crop to produce that has a pricing system that has nothing to do with the cost of production, 3) Ethanol as a renewable energy from farms is faltering today as a result of no governmental action as many outside economic forces threaten its survival and 4) We should never eliminate any component of the safety net, including fixed payments, until we have established and have working a better component for American family farmers!   I also want President Obama and Secretary to remember that every dollar in new farm income from the market place is the best economic stimulus of all.   (30) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * AAM stands for food and fiber producer and commodity PARITY. Parity is a term that denotes a fair commodity price adjusted for inflation to the commodity prices.  The Statutory Parity Index, established during the depression of the 1930s, reflects prices received in 1910-1914 (considered to be the last 5 normal years prior to the outbreak of World War I) when producers, middlemen, and consumers had a balanced income. Today, many commodities average less than PARITY. Meanwhile costs of trucks, combines, implements, tractors, and hired help have risen dramatically. AAM still demands a parity price for commodities. Go to AAM's website: http://www.aaminc.org/ for more information.

NEW USDA FARM INCOME PROJECTIONS GIVE CAUSE TO REEXAMINE FARM PROGRAMS OF THE PAST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FEBRUARY 24, 2009 Press Release #4 President, AAM, Inc. Larry Matlack (620) 727-0333 larry@stingerltd.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   An Editorial Comment by Larry Matlack, President American Agriculture Movement February 24, 2009 When USDA recently released the new farm income projections for the coming year it gave many of us cause to worry and to reflect upon how we can improve federal farm programs.  It may be time to review past programs and how they might be more relevant addressing the current financial meltdown.   In case you missed it, USDA has just forecasted a devastating 18.1-percent decline in net farm income for 2009 when compared to 2008.  This catastrophic reduction will impact America’s farm and ranch families at time when the economy as a whole is in serious trouble.   A separate recent USDA forecast shows net farm income per farm household from on-farm sources at only $4,144 (or about $345/month) and that 95 percent of the average farm household’s income comes from off-farm sources.  Farm and ranching families, just like so many other Americans, may face the most challenging financial times since the 1930s.   Just as we are reviewing what deregulation has done for our banking, insurance and securities sectors, we need to review what deregulation has done to our food system.  Just as the financial markets were deregulated in the 1990s, so was our food production system because of the ratification of the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which established the World Trade Organization (WTO), North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and more specifically, the 1996 Freedom to Farm Act.   I recently ran across a speech by World War II combat veteran, humanitarian and actor Eddie Albert that put so much of this in the proper perspective when he said,   “There was once a strong farm policy. It developed during the other depression -- the thirties.  A lot of thought went on to figure out what went wrong -- why, how, when and where.  Some of the thinkers wanted to prevent another depression. Others had in mind making money out of it.  There were some good farm programs proposed, but there were some strong forces lined up opposing their adoption. Although in 1941 the depression still continued, there was a war coming on and there were a few intelligent congressmen who realized that if we were to win this war, we must have a strong economic base. Early in 1942, the Banking and Currency Committee adopted the concept of "parity". Congress then passed the Steagall amendment, which provided for 100 percent parity for all raw materials and the amendment was attached to the "defense act of W.W. II Our recovery started in 1942, the year of the Steagall amendment, but the war got the credit.  From 1943 to 1952, we had the Steagall amendment and economic stability. Farm raw materials were supported at 100 percent of parity. It provided a steady flow of earned income to buy government bonds to finance the war and post-war conversion to peacetime.  There was a sound dollar, no inflation.  There was approximate full employment."   Mr. Albert, who passed away in 2005 at the age of 99, delivered this speech at the National Farmers Union convention in 1983 held in San Diego.  I recommend you read it in its entirety by going to http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0906-02.htm .   Our nation must to return to a sound food policy just as we must return to sound financial policy.  They are interconnected and critical for the survival of our democracy.   (30) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * AAM stands for food and fiber producer and commodity PARITY. Parity is a term that denotes a fair commodity price adjusted for inflation to the commodity prices.  The Statutory Parity Index, established during the depression of the 1930s, reflects prices received in 1910-1914 (considered to be the last 5 normal years prior to the outbreak of World War I) when producers, middlemen, and consumers had a balanced income. Today, many commodities average less than PARITY. Meanwhile costs of trucks, combines, implements, tractors, and hired help have risen dramatically. AAM still demands a parity price for commodities. Go to AAM's website: http://www.aaminc.org/ for more information.

MATLACK OFFERS SUPPORT FOR BIOGAS INCENTIVES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FEBRUARY 12, 2009 Press Release #3 President, AAM, Inc. Larry Matlack (620) 727-0333 larry@stingerltd.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   AAM JOINS WITH ALLIANCE FOR RURAL AMERICA TO ADVANCE RENEWABLE ENERGY INITIATIVE WASHINGTON (RuralWire), Feb. 12, 2009 –Larry Matlack, President of the American Agriculture Movement (AAM), joined with The Alliance for Rural America, (ARA), a coalition of grassroots organizations representing agricultural and rural energy issues and interests across the country, urging support for the Biogas Production Incentive Act of 2009 (S. 306) as introduced by Senator Ben Nelson, D-Neb.    “The measure will provide the opportunity for America to move closer to energy independence by providing incentives to produce domestic, renewable gas from biomass, animal wastes and other sources, explained Matlack.  “S. 306 will provide a $4.27 per MMBTU tax credit for the production of biogas which is at least 50-percent methane.”   In a letter to U.S Senators, ARA explained that while they support the biogas production incentive, they also strongly recommended the bill include a second tier tax credit of $3.00 per MMBTU for renewable biogas which does not meet the 50-percent methane criteria.  “This additional provision would help to greatly expand the utilization of biomass in the production of energy through gasification and other combustion processes to generate thermal heat for many applications including the production of ethanol and other renewable liquid fuels,” said Matlack.   The ARA letter explained that tax incentives for the production and utilization of domestic, renewable biogas is a win for all of agriculture, but especially for livestock producers as they are able to add value to their farm from waste-to-energy systems producing biogas and potentially benefit from decreased fertilizer and feed costs.  Including the second tier as ARA recommends expands the economic opportunities for crop producers as well since crop residues could be used for the production of biogas.  An operation producing biogas has the potential not only to save money on on-farm gas use but create a value-added benefit by participating in an emerging commercial biogas market.   Incentivizing the production of biogas is also likely to decrease fertilizer and feed costs. Natural gas is a key input required for the bountiful yields achieved by U.S. farmers. By far, the most intensive use of natural gas by the farm sector is in the production of nitrogen fertilizer, which is used on nearly every crop in the country.   Natural gas is also the second largest expense in the production of ethanol and other biofuels.  The utilization of renewable, domestic biogas will help make ethanol production more economically efficient and less dependent on fossil fuels.   ARA’s thirteen affiliate organizations represent over 750,000 members and includes American Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Organization, Federation of Southern Cooperatives, Women Involved in Farm Economics, National Association of Farmer Elected Committees, American Agriculture Movement, The National Grange, Oklahoma Farmers Union, Ohio Farmers Union, Texas Farmers Union, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Pennsylvania Farmers Union, and Kansas Farmers Union.   (30) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * AAM stands for food and fiber producer and commodity PARITY. Parity is a term that denotes a fair commodity price adjusted for inflation to the commodity prices.  The Statutory Parity Index, established during the depression of the 1930s, reflects prices received in 1910-1914 (considered to be the last 5 normal years prior to the outbreak of World War I) when producers, middlemen, and consumers had a balanced income. Today, many commodities average less than PARITY. Meanwhile costs of trucks, combines, implements, tractors, and hired help have risen dramatically. AAM still demands a parity price for commodities. Go to AAM's website: http://www.aaminc.org/ for more information.

AAM CELEBRATES THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF WASHINGTON, D.C. TRACTORCADE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JANUARY 9, 2009 Press Release #2 President, AAM, Inc. Larry Matlack (620) 727-0333 larry@stingerltd.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   WAGON MASTER GERALD MCCATHERN REVIEWS AAM'S RICH HISTORY OKLAHOMA CITY (RuralWire), Jan. 9, 2009 – The American Agriculture Movement (AAM) completed its 30th Annual Convention in Oklahoma City where the organization celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the Washington D.C. farmers’ protest for equality.  AAM President Larry Matlack welcomed Gerald McCathern, the chief organizer of the grassroots action and acclaimed western novelist from Herford, Texas.   McCathern explained that the late Marvin Meek, AAM’s first national chairman, assigned him the title of “National Wagon Master” and the task of organizing a major protest in the nation’s capitol to highlight the plight of America’s farm and ranch families.  “I really didn’t know where to start such a process,” reported McCathern.  We knew that our movement included approximately 2.5 million famers at the time, but we sure didn’t know at that time that we would facilitate the movement of over 3,000 tractors and over 10,000 famers, some of which traveled almost the entire breadth of the continent, to all arrive in Washington at the same time.   “We figured we could travel 100 miles per day,” explained McCathern.  “So we laid a map out on the table, broke a matchstick to a length equal to 100 miles on the map and planned accordingly to determine where and when farmers from every community would start their journey.  It worked well, even during inclement winter weather and well before cell phones or the internet.  Thousands of tractors and farmers converged on D.C. on Feb. 5, 1979.”   Matlack stated that not only did the1979 event help drastically improve farm policy for several years following the action, but was also the genesis for modern federal policy measures such as ethanol production and Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) of the nation’s food.   “Farmers built an ethanol still on the Mall to help pass ‘gasohol’ legislation enacted by President Carter soon afterwards,” explained Matlack.  “And following the brutal beating by McAllen, Texas police of farmers protesting inaccurate labeling of Mexican produce the previous year, we were able to start the process of proper food labeling which was finally enacted this past year.”   “We had a great celebration at our convention with a remarkable trip down memory lane and a constructive look to the future,” concluded Matlack.  “AAM has a rich and proud history and we will continue our work to keep farm and ranch families on the land.”   (30) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * AAM stands for food and fiber producer and commodity PARITY. Parity is a term that denotes a fair commodity price adjusted for inflation to the commodity prices.  The Statutory Parity Index, established during the depression of the 1930s, reflects prices received in 1910-1914 (considered to be the last 5 normal years prior to the outbreak of World War I) when producers, middlemen, and consumers had a balanced income. Today, many commodities average less than PARITY. Meanwhile costs of trucks, combines, implements, tractors, and hired help have risen dramatically. AAM still demands a parity price for commodities. Go to AAM's website: http://www.aaminc.org/ for more information.

AAM SENDS POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TO OBAMA AND NEW CONGRESS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JANUARY 6, 2009 Press Release #1 President, AAM, Inc. Larry Matlack (620) 727-0333 larry@stingerltd.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   WASHINGTON (RuralWire), Jan. 6, 2009 –Larry Matlack, President of the American Agriculture Movement (AAM), commented today on his organization’s recent recommendations to the Presidential Transition Team (PTT) and the new 111th Congress which was sworn into office this week.   “With Barack Obama to be sworn in as our new President in a few weeks and the new Congress coming to Washington this week, AAM has announced our policy priorities for the coming months,” explained Matlack.  AAM’s recommendations to the PTT and the 111th Congress include;   Renewable Energy -- The stimulus and energy proposals soon to be crafted by the new Administration and Congress must include more support for all elements of renewable energy, including wind, solar, biofuels and most importantly biomass for heat and power in rural American industries. This will quickly create thousands of new non-exportable green jobs and revitalize rural America and the thousands of small companies based there. It is critical that the cost of creating this jumpstart to the economic wellbeing and energy security of America not be born from cuts to the complex and fragile safety net that now provides minimal protection for America’s family farmers.   Farm Programs -- Farm programs must be reformed to provide a simple price support structure, such as the nonrecourse commodity loan, instead of the current complicated and inadequate subsidy system. Farm and ranch families require price supports at no less than the full cost of production and deserve price supports at no less than 90 percent of Parity as legally required and calculated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A look at history to see how the economy recovered from debt under such farm programs between 1945 and 1952 would serve as some evidence of this need.   Strategic Grain and Food Reserves -- There should be the reestablishment of federally owned and federally supported farmer owned strategic grain and food reserves for the nation’s national security, food security, livestock sector, renewable fuels industries and international famine relief.   Farm Service Agency -- Since farm programs continue to become more bureaucratic and complicated with each new farm bill, there should be no more closings of county Farm Service Agency offices, no reductions in FSA staff and no reductions in FSA staff compensation until such time that farm programs are greatly simplified. FSA’s ageing and antiquated computer and communications systems should be replaced and updated to meet the current challenges faced by FSA staff in the delivery of farm, conservation, credit and disaster programs.   Competition in the Market Place -- The departments of Agriculture and Justice should ensure true competition in the marketplace; deny any further mergers and acquisitions within all sectors of the American economy and review passed mergers and acquisitions to ensure the same.   “AAM looks forward to working with the new 111th Congress, President Obama and Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack on the critical policy issues over the next several months,” concluded Matlack.     (30) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * AAM stands for food and fiber producer and commodity PARITY. Parity is a term that denotes a fair commodity price adjusted for inflation to the commodity prices.  The Statutory Parity Index, established during the depression of the 1930s, reflects prices received in 1910-1914 (considered to be the last 5 normal years prior to the outbreak of World War I) when producers, middlemen, and consumers had a balanced income. Today, many commodities average less than PARITY. Meanwhile costs of trucks, combines, implements, tractors, and hired help have risen dramatically. AAM still demands a parity price for commodities. Go to AAM's website: http://www.aaminc.org/ for more information.

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