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By John Schlageck
Last Updated: February 02, 2010
Heading into the New Year and new decade several key issues remain at the top of the priority list for Kansas farmers and ranchers. Health care, climate and environment, animal agriculture, balancing the federal budget and ag sales tax exemptions remain among the most important.
Health care is on everyone's' minds today. Most Kansans and their fellow Americans are either adamantly for or against proposed health care changes. This has ignited a national debate with a passion and fervor rarely seen on legislative issues.
The health care issue is very personal for every American. It carries two overreaching factors important to ag producers and rural America – reducing health care costs and improving rural access.
To help ease the burden on producers and rural America, tax credits could help the self-employed purchase health insurance. This would also allow farm and ranch employers affordable insurance for their employees.
Mandating that individuals purchase health insurance will only work for rural America if costs are brought under control and if tax credits are generous enough to make insurance affordable.
Turning to the climate and environment, most farmers and ranchers oppose cap and trade climate legislation because it would raise their production costs. The potential costs of such legislation are far greater than any benefit to producers.
Congress must focus on renewable energy that is far better for the environment and this nation's domestic energy security. It should not tie the hands of U.S. producers whose productivity provides the world's food.
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