The climate change bills being considered by Congress will have a negative impact on agriculture, as well as the U.S. economy as a whole. The U.S. House and Senate climate change bills would impose higher food costs on consumers, raise fuel, fertilizer and energy costs for farmers and ranchers and shrink the American agriculture sector which produces our nation’s food, fiber and fuel.

Under the climate change legislation a signifi- cant amount of productive farmland would be taken out of production in order to meet greenhouse gas reduction goals. A large amount of land in this county would be planted to trees which will result in a large job and income losses for Todd County and this county can not afford the job loss. These will also hurt consumers at the grocery store where the increased costs will have a dramatic impact. Many families are facing difficult economic times, and this legislation will add an additional burden for them.

Less cropland coupled with increased costs of production incurred by American farmers as a result of this legislation, will put our country at a competitive disadvantage in international markets with other countries that do not have similar carbon emission restrictions. The Untied States can not go it alone in green house reductions. All nations of the world must be committed to greenhouse gas reductions.
Roger Zastrow
Long Prairie, Minn.
Todd County
Farm Bureau President