Reflections After Sandy
PRESIDENTIAL PARADIGMS
Charles Wilfong , President , West Virginia Farm Bureau
The remnants of Hurricane Sandy have given a lot of people here in WV another storm to remember . With many mountainous areas receiving snowfall of two , three or more feet , the impact has been devastating . The snow was very wet and heavy which led to the collapse of several buildings and extensive damage to timber and fences . It is amazing how many trees were downed or broken during this storm . The deep , heavy snow also made it very difficult to even get hay or other feed to livestock which were still out on pastures , especially in the more remote mountainous areas .
As I am writing this article it is one week after the storm and there are still thousands of people without power . The power company has hundreds of folks working day and night to clear and repair lines . They continue to have a tremendous task ahead of them in some areas . Many times we don ’ t appreciate how dependent we are on electric power until we don ’ t have it . Events such as this storm should make us committed to supporting policies and policy makers who would strengthen our electric power capabilities . But in contrast to that this week the Obama administration ’ s EPA is putting forth even more rules and regulations that will essentially stop construction of any new coal-fired power plants . They are doing this now so that regardless of which way the Presidential election
turns out the EPA can implement these new rules during the lame duck session between now and the end of the year . This is yet another example of government by Obama at its worst . And it is just plain unacceptable behavior by a government agency . I am just hoping that by the time you read this that we have a new Presidentelect who will reign in this out of control agency .
I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving . I hope that when folks stop to give thanks for their Thanksgiving feasts that they also give thanks for the hard-working , risk-taking farmers who grow the crops and raise the livestock to feed them on that day as well as every other day of the year .
A Labor Plan for All Farmers
Bob Stallman , President , American Farm Bureau Federation
For far too long , farmers and ranchers have had to struggle to make sure that they have a legal , reliable supply of workers . The reality has been a daunting , broken system , riddled with shortcomings that have resulted in labor shortages , lost
4 West Virginia Farm Bureau News crops , bureaucratic nightmares and neighbors competing with one another to get the farm hands they need .
Farmers from around the country all feel the pain . From Washington state apple growers to New York dairy producers , there is an acrossthe-board shortage of labor for hire . Agriculture needs and deserves a legal , stable workforce , and Farm Bureau has a plan .
Flexibility and Stability Matter
Farm Bureau , along with other organizations in the agricultural community , is working on a solution for farmers and ranchers in all sectors , in all regions and for all commodities . What Farm Bureau is bringing to the discussion is a plan that we think will accommodate all agriculture – from a grower who needs to hire harvesters
see Stallman , page 25