I am a crop advisor in western NY. I write CAFO plans and am also a TSP for NRCS. I've listened to your podcast a few times and find you to be quite reasonable. Sad to say, I am not surprised by anything you wrote.
The thing I have come to realize in the last number of years is that all of our regulatory agencies in all industries: agrichemical, Pharma, medical, industry, etc. are basically subject to the same cronyism and influence as the industry I am most familiar with. Unfortunately, it is a question of ethics and our country seems to have lost any ethical sense that it may have once had.
Increasingly, corporate funded research and research parks are becoming primary methods of garnering funding for ag (and other) research at public universities. I don't see many un-tenured professors that are going to risk doing research 'for the public good' when the funding of their very institution is so dependent on private industrial funding. Even tenured professors put the funding of their entire university at risk by conducting environmental research that shines any kind of negative light on industrial agriculture. Public universities as citadels of free-thinking and innovation? Not so much. . .
Same with regulating* CAFO odors and volatile pesticide drift. Can't be done without measuring. So, put your faith in self-policing. And all power to extreme property rights that give free trespass, free taking of the commons and others' rights with zero accountability. Starting by the taking of our rights to know. By the rule of never measure. And maintaining total secrecy. *Illinois Farm Bureau put their good seal of approval on the "robust" regulatory regime keeping the world's best stewards honest. Which begs the question: which rivers and streams would the FB actually let their kids and grand-kids swim in?
Thanks Chris. I have high hopes that Drake University will continue to tell the truth. Peter Levi's work was very good. Tom Rosburg just completed a great week with National Prairie folks. Neil Hamilton is telling the truth and will convene a Nature Conference in the fall at Drake U. Our private colleges and universities are closing. Regents institutions are subject to the whim of the Iowa governor and the legislature it seems. We are in trouble. We can hope that enough people care about the future of Iowa like we do and speak up, vote and complain at all public hearings. So far, speech seems protected. Seems like those who care are pretty old. I am 77.
Thanks, Chris. The Farm Bureau's behavior is not surprising. When I served on the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission, the same FB attorney was always at our meetings, fighting against any and all reasonable environmental rules. And, the FB Spokesman newspaper would lie about what happened at our EPC meetings (the Spokesman editor was at all EPC meetings too). When I asked the Spokesman editor if I would submit a letter to the editor to correct the record of what happened at the EPC meeting, he said "no."
Thank you for your willingness to speak out in a clear and positive way. It makes me wonder how many other important programs are wrongly controlled by the parties causing problems. Is this a situation unique to Iowa. Does Illinois have similar struggles. The farmland I grew up on in west central IL is heavily tiled.
Great story well told. I'm so glad you spoke to Pocahontas Democrats via Zoom last year. I have been reading you ever since and will pass this on to my county supervisor. A drainage ditch runs through my farm, too, in case anyone needs a site to monitor.
It's about our tax dollars. Too much government budget goes to pay farmers to quit polluting. That same amount ought to be spent on monitoring, regulating and enforcement. It's a zero-sum game; Americans will never spend more than 30% of GDP. Nothing will change until we organize and vote!
Thanks for writing this. Sad to hear, but I’m not surprised. It seems like prevention is always better than trying to cure a problem. When will certain people learn this?
Similar problems in Washington. Although CAFOs and dairies are regulated by Ecology,, from their website:
"We partner with Washington State Department of Agriculture’s (WSDA) Dairy Nutrient Management Program to implement the permits. WSDA is the principal inspector of dairies and permitted CAFOs. We work together to ensure compliance with the permits."
Surprise surprise, the governor's budget had to include funding for bottled water for the nitrate contaminated Yakima Valley, while another cheese plant goes in.
I am a crop advisor in western NY. I write CAFO plans and am also a TSP for NRCS. I've listened to your podcast a few times and find you to be quite reasonable. Sad to say, I am not surprised by anything you wrote.
The thing I have come to realize in the last number of years is that all of our regulatory agencies in all industries: agrichemical, Pharma, medical, industry, etc. are basically subject to the same cronyism and influence as the industry I am most familiar with. Unfortunately, it is a question of ethics and our country seems to have lost any ethical sense that it may have once had.
Agree completely regarding the Farm Bureau!
Increasingly, corporate funded research and research parks are becoming primary methods of garnering funding for ag (and other) research at public universities. I don't see many un-tenured professors that are going to risk doing research 'for the public good' when the funding of their very institution is so dependent on private industrial funding. Even tenured professors put the funding of their entire university at risk by conducting environmental research that shines any kind of negative light on industrial agriculture. Public universities as citadels of free-thinking and innovation? Not so much. . .
Like government, state and federal. Captured by corporate interests on a departmental level. Jesus, we suck.
Same with regulating* CAFO odors and volatile pesticide drift. Can't be done without measuring. So, put your faith in self-policing. And all power to extreme property rights that give free trespass, free taking of the commons and others' rights with zero accountability. Starting by the taking of our rights to know. By the rule of never measure. And maintaining total secrecy. *Illinois Farm Bureau put their good seal of approval on the "robust" regulatory regime keeping the world's best stewards honest. Which begs the question: which rivers and streams would the FB actually let their kids and grand-kids swim in?
Thanks Chris. I have high hopes that Drake University will continue to tell the truth. Peter Levi's work was very good. Tom Rosburg just completed a great week with National Prairie folks. Neil Hamilton is telling the truth and will convene a Nature Conference in the fall at Drake U. Our private colleges and universities are closing. Regents institutions are subject to the whim of the Iowa governor and the legislature it seems. We are in trouble. We can hope that enough people care about the future of Iowa like we do and speak up, vote and complain at all public hearings. So far, speech seems protected. Seems like those who care are pretty old. I am 77.
Thanks, Chris. The Farm Bureau's behavior is not surprising. When I served on the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission, the same FB attorney was always at our meetings, fighting against any and all reasonable environmental rules. And, the FB Spokesman newspaper would lie about what happened at our EPC meetings (the Spokesman editor was at all EPC meetings too). When I asked the Spokesman editor if I would submit a letter to the editor to correct the record of what happened at the EPC meeting, he said "no."
The Farm Bureau is all about agrabusiness. It abhors agriculture.
The Farm Bureau is all about agrabusiness. It abhors agriculture.
Thank you for your willingness to speak out in a clear and positive way. It makes me wonder how many other important programs are wrongly controlled by the parties causing problems. Is this a situation unique to Iowa. Does Illinois have similar struggles. The farmland I grew up on in west central IL is heavily tiled.
You get it Chris — keep up the good work as this whole theme needs lots of sunshine!!!!
You're one of the best scientists we have in our State...Thank you for speaking the truth. WE ARE GRATEFUL!!!
Chris, Science Iowa did an opinion piece on this subject that appeared in Gazette recently. It cited Naig's very statement on monitoring vs. tracking best practice progress. You might appreciate it: https://www.thegazette.com/guest-columnists/numbers-matter-for-iowas-nutrient-reduction-strategy/
Great story well told. I'm so glad you spoke to Pocahontas Democrats via Zoom last year. I have been reading you ever since and will pass this on to my county supervisor. A drainage ditch runs through my farm, too, in case anyone needs a site to monitor.
Solid writing as usual, Dr. Jones. Really "great" story about the role that industry has in dictating the direction of Iowa's water quality plans.
It's about our tax dollars. Too much government budget goes to pay farmers to quit polluting. That same amount ought to be spent on monitoring, regulating and enforcement. It's a zero-sum game; Americans will never spend more than 30% of GDP. Nothing will change until we organize and vote!
This is good work, all who read should remember to be paid subscribers
Thanks for writing this. Sad to hear, but I’m not surprised. It seems like prevention is always better than trying to cure a problem. When will certain people learn this?
Similar problems in Washington. Although CAFOs and dairies are regulated by Ecology,, from their website:
"We partner with Washington State Department of Agriculture’s (WSDA) Dairy Nutrient Management Program to implement the permits. WSDA is the principal inspector of dairies and permitted CAFOs. We work together to ensure compliance with the permits."
Surprise surprise, the governor's budget had to include funding for bottled water for the nitrate contaminated Yakima Valley, while another cheese plant goes in.
I wrote about here: https://open.substack.com/pub/johnlovie/p/surf-or-turf?r=yx686&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Good post!