AFBF’s Early Take On New Power Bill

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) said they will continue to evaluate the American Power Act, the climate change bill introduced recently by Sens. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and John Kerry (D-MA), for its effect on farmers and ranchers.

“As with other climate change bills, we have concerns about the economic impact on farmers and ranchers because of potentially higher fertilizer and energy costs,” said Bob Stallman, AFBF president. “We do not want to see farmers driven out of business due to additional regulation and the potential for higher input costs. Agriculture also could be forced to shrink due to land moving out of production into trees to sequester carbon. We also believe it is imperative that any energy legislation must assure a greater supply of nuclear energy, renewable fuels and natural gas for American consumers. Further, we note the absence of renewable electricity standards in the bill and will work toward their inclusion in the future.”

Stallman added, “We appreciate all the efforts by Sens. Lieberman and Kerry to address the concerns of farmers and ranchers and the agriculture sector as a whole. We will continue to work with them to see if further efforts can be made to minimize the harmful economic effects that occur for farmers and ranchers once policymakers decide to put a price on carbon. The American Farm Bureau will remain engaged in this debate to assure that any final legislation promotes, and does not diminish, American agriculture.”