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HR 875 Threatens small farmers/gardeners!
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Started this discussion. Last reply by Jim Tripp Apr 12.

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April 24, 2009 from 4pm to 6:30pm

Come and share what you have been working on and thinking about for a more sustainable future for the region. SFN is hosting another town hall style meeting in honor of Earth Day on Friday April 24 from 4 - 6:30pm. Location tbd. Celebrate the gre...

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Jim Tripp replied to Bruce Askelsen's discussion 'HR 875 Threatens small farmers/gardeners!'

I have heard conflicting opinions about the prospects and consequences of this bill. This short article shines a little light on the "food safety" bills that are popping up in Congress right now. According to the author, we need to "include speci...

April 11

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At 5:53pm on September 11, 2009, Jim Tripp said…: Bruce,
If you check this, please know that I am trying to get that book back to you, but that hasn't been going well. However, I am still on it, and will get it to you as soon as I can get there when it is open or when I finally go to the right place.

At 2:25pm on September 5, 2009, www.makemoneywith-google.com said…: I just made $743 this week working from home for google. I cant believe how easy this is. Im recommending this to everyone, check out this guys google blog makemoneywith-google.com

At 7:19pm on August 17, 2009, Jim Tripp said…: Wow Bruce, garden looks great! I hope you have a great harvest. What is the best way for me to get you that book back? I can drop it off at the Vesterheim, or whatever. Have you read the article in the Inspired magazine about Borlaug?

At 11:04am on May 20, 2009, Eryn Bartlett said…: Wanna chat with me on cam?, come see me here You'll enjoy it. I promise!!!! realamateurwebcams.info

At 10:10pm on April 14, 2009, Jim Tripp said…: How did your meeting with Latham go?

At 2:20pm on March 29, 2009, Jim Tripp said…: I did finish the book, a few weeks ago. Still thinking about it, and how to spread the message effectively to friends/family and others who want to hear about the dangers of GMO's. There was a disturbing Pen and Teller clip that AJ posted on his website www.that-something.blogspot.com in which they interviewed Norman Borlaug. I am still a little unsure what Borlaug did, whether it was gene insertion or selective breeding, or both. Regardless, he is backing up claims that we need GM foods to "feed the world". Borlaug seems to be quite the icon in NE Iowa, I am curious of the arguments against his work. Any recomendations?

At 12:02pm on February 22, 2009, Jim Tripp said…: Hey Bruce, good to hear from you. I have not yet finished the book, but I'm almost to the end. I've been taking it rather slowly, a chapter a week, so that it all doesn't go in one eye and out the other. I have been following some recent reports regarding GM foods and it looks like rBGH is getting less popular as Yoplait (and Dannon??) have decided to get rid of it in their products. Organic Consumers Association does a good job of posting updates on the issue. It's really a great site all around. I'm really learning a lot in this book, and also have been considering the impacts personally, working in and living very near fields of GMOs and pesticide ridden crops while growing up.

At 7:13am on February 5, 2009, Jim Tripp said…: Bruce,
I am staying home sick today, quite ill. Hope to catch you next time you're in town.

At 9:14am on February 3, 2009, John Franzen said…: Bruce, Thank you for explaining in greater detail. I agree with you, when the financial incentive ends so does the good it did. I took a Dale Carnegie course many yrs ago and a statistic that has always stuck with me is that 8 out of ten people think alike or will give the same reaction in any situation. Today that has changed to 8.5 out of 10. I think we're probably the 1.5, yea!!
I also agree with you about the (show me the money) mentality, so in knowing that if we want to help today's farmers change the way they farm and that money is the big factor here lets throw money at it until we begin the transformation we desire. Ultimately, I think we need to start with the banking system, because they do drive a lot of the decisions that today's farmers make. I guess what I'm trying to say is if 8.5 out of 10 times a decision is made for financial reasons then lets provide the financing for the good incentives not the unsustainable incentives. After all, this country has been throwing good money after bad for many, many years now. My daddy has a saying, (sometimes, you have to go in the back door to open the front door).
You, my dad & most other farmers were in the same place as far as just going with the flow, so to speak, but that was the knowledge that was presented to them.But my dad like you used the good ol' horse sense god gave them and realized what they were doing wasn't sustainable and changed the ways they farmed (the power of observation). My suggestion is to use the fact that many of today's younger farmers have college degrees to (educate) provide them with viable alternatives as it relates to sustainable farming practices. I really believe we are on the cusp of a farming revolution. Most farmers know they need a different model, but ultimately they do have to make payments, so if provided with viable opportunities they will make the needed changes. Gotta go for now, but thank you for the exchange of ideas.
Sorry to hear about your dad, & I'm looking forward to meeting you when you get moved back up here! Welcome home my friend!
John

At 9:45pm on February 2, 2009, John Franzen said…: Bruce, I'm glad to see your passion (anger) on these issues. I'm also glad to see that you've been a huge success in your farming efforts. Also if your looking for someone to fight with I'm not going there with you because I do not have the wide ranging knowledge that you have in farming & other issues.

As for lobbying, I'd like to go with you to lobby our local officials about GMO seeds as there are very few them who do farm, so they wouldn't know much about GMO's nor could they as local elected officials do anything to influence seed companies to do things differently or enact laws to change farm issues.
Now as far as lobbying our elected state officials, you are the very person that should be lobbying state level officials with your vast knowledge on seeds, farming, judging etc. Because they are the ones who are influenced by the crazy amounts of money seed companies,farm bureau and farm related industries (along with others) give to our elected officials for elections & re-elections, not our city & county officials. And, the way things have gone in the past it is QUITE OBVIOUS to me that the lobbyists are making real headway with our elected officials. There is a reason DC has over 30,000 registered lobbyists working on our elected officials.

Also, I'm very supprised I've never seen you at ANY of the many city council OR supervisor meetings that I've been at. Nor do I remember seeing you at any of the town hall meetings our state & national elected officials hold right here in our local area. Nor did I see you at any of the events I attended when I ran for State Rep this last year.

Now as far as farmers being lazy,, I couldn't DISAGREE with you more. While there are some that are lazy, the vast majority are not. Just the same as there are some bad farmers, the vast majority are good farmers or are at least trying to be good stewards of the land they want to pass on to their children. But they need to be educated with accurate facts and data to help them make responsible & sustainable farming decisions.

To answer your question on what I do; I was born & raised on a dairy farm over by Hawkeye, Ia. After high school I moved to Florida & started a career in sales and became manager of 2 Ladies shoe stores.15 yrs ago we moved back here to Iowa to raise our 4 children. I've worked part time for a farmer down by Ossian all 15 yrs while continuing a career in sales. I've also owned my own candle (handcarved) & craft business, I've managed a welding shop for a brother, I've managed a redemption center, worked in a grocery store, worked for Gage & Gage plumbing & heating, I'm a commercial property owner & a Certified Bi-lingual Auctioneer. I'm a Farm Bureau member & past co-chair of Winneshiek County Community of Hope Growing project. I was assistant manager at Rockweiler Appliance & TV, I sold ATV's, motorcycles etc. at Decorah Kawasaki/Suzuki. I'm a salesman at heart.

Just out of curiosity, how many acres do you have, what do you grow for crops & what do you raise for livestock?
God bless, John Franzen

PS. There is a town hall mtg with a representative of Tom Latham at Decorah city hall tomorrow @ 9:30 am. They are there every 1st Tuesday of the month. Also, John Beard & Maryjo Wilhelm, our new State Rep & State Senator are having a town hall mtg Feb. 28th @ Decorah city hall @ 9:30 am. Hope to see ya there! :-)