Tulsa Business Staff
5/21/2009
As the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee continues mark-up of an emissions cap-and-trade bill, American Farmers & Ranchers, an Oklahoma based general farm organization and insurance company, announced its’ opposition to the legislation.“As the Congress considers climate change legislation, American Farmers & Ranchers remains fundamentally opposed to the concept of mandating caps on greenhouse gas emissions, said Terry Detrick, AFR President. “We do not believe the benefits will outweigh the consequential elements of the concept.” The organization, in a letter to House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Rep. Frank Lucas, said that while this bill remains silent on and apparently exempts agriculture from its’ own carbon footprint, AFR is specifically opposed to H.R. 2454 because agriculture is not granted credit in this bill for the contributions it already makes and any future contributions to carbon capture. “As young elementary students we were taught how plants absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. Thus the carbon is sequestered through the roots into the soil where it stays until the soil is disturbed. Producers today are increasing efforts to sequester carbon and clean-up the air through no-till farming, and can contribute even more in this arena in the future. Yet there are no provisions that mandate agriculture producers can participate in these credits,” explained Detrick.
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