Oklahoma Agriculture Blog

Oklahoma’s Official Agricultural Information Site

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    Terry Peach, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture

    As agriculturists our jobs haven’t changed much from generation to generation but the way we do them sure has! Our roles as providers of the nation’s food and fiber and stewards of the land remain the same but just as we rely on new technologies to become more efficient as producers, we find we now need to find new ways to use them to communicate with each other.

    That’s why we have created this blog. Almost 60 percent of the population now depends on the internet for news and other information. The daily and weekly newspapers are still out there (and we still depend on them to reach thousands of Oklahomans) but for all of you who prefer the speed and convenience of electronic communications, this blog is for you.

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    Terry Peach, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture

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Archive for the ‘SASDA’ Category

Southern Agriculture Leaders Oppose Proposed Climate Change Legislation

Posted by carson4575 on June 17, 2009

Terry Peach, Oklahoman Secretary of Agriculture and President of SASDA

Terry Peach, Oklahoman Secretary of Agriculture and President of SASDA

Please Note This Entry Was Corrected on June 19th. The incorrect bill number was given. I apologize for the error.

Commissioners and secretaries of agriculture representing 17 southern states and U.S. territories today said the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture (SASDA) formally opposes H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.

“We cannot support this bill or any other environmental legislation without significant input from agriculture,” said Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture and current SASDA President, Terry Peach. “The existing language was created with no consultation from any segment of agriculture and we see negative effects on our producers in terms of new regulations and costs with no financial benefits.”

Agriculture and forestry play key roles in reducing carbon in the environment and therefore must be brought in to any discussions regarding climate change legislation, said Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture, Ron Sparks.

“We as members of the agricultural community cannot be excluded from any discussion on any proposed environmental regulation that touches our industry,” he said. “That is why SASDA has to take this step in opposing H.R. 2454 and making a resolution to the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture to also oppose this legislation.”

Agriculture’s role in the economy, sustaining the environment and the food security of the nation is changing and the public is going to have to embrace that change. Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Charles Bronson, said agriculture is evolving.

“For the past 40 years agriculture has meant food and fiber,” he said. “The future of agriculture is going to be food, fiber and fuel. Any efforts to create legislation that might impact this industry must include all sectors of agriculture’s input.

SASDA member states include: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Virgin Islands, and West Virginia.

The annual SASDA summer meeting and convention began this week in Oklahoma City and concludes Thursday, June 18.
–Jack Carson

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