Nebraska Leaders Blast Green New Deal

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts has joined many ag leaders in lambasting the Green New Deal proposed by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markley (D-Mass.)

The proposal calls for several measures to slash carbon emissions across the economy, from electricity generation to transportation and agriculture.

Ricketts spoke during the final day of the Nebraska Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers & Ranchers Conference. He also released a statement on the matter, saying such a plan would destroy Nebraska’s No. 1 industry.

“(She) put out what she called a New Green Deal, which really is more like a new raw deal because one of her goals is to get rid of the beef industry,” Ricketts said. “It demonstrates really shocking ignorance of the beef industry in general …”

Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson called the proposal totally unrealistic.

“It is clear its authors and supporters have spent no time in rural areas or even have a basic understanding of how food is produced,” he said. “The proposal is a blatant and unscientific attack on livestock production as well an assault on Nebraska’s agricultural economy due to our sensitivity to even slight energy price increases.” Nelson said in a provided statement.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced last week that the Senate will vote soon on the Green New Deal resolution.

“We’re going to be voting on that in the Senate to give everybody an opportunity to go on record,” McConnell told reporters.

The proposal, which is not expected to pass the Republican-dominated upper chamber, could force some Democrats to make a politically awkward calculation.