What they're really selling is herbicide-based no-till production
systems.
They are also increasingly worried about consumer-environmentalist
impact on the 1995 Farm Bill, which is why I expect they took space
in the Washington Post.
As a farmer, I'm not surprised. You get used to people using your
image to push their own agendas...
Just yesterday in Harrison, Arkansas, I saw a couple of large
billboards [name of a bank] Agri-Loans.
Taking pride in Your independence.
Rather ironic, eh? I've never met a single farmer who felt more
independent by virtue of being in debt.
The tie-in with input vendors such as Cyanimid isn't always all that
subtle, either. Two or three years ago a coalition of input
manufacturers sent a "letter of concern" to many banks in Montana.
The letter said, in essence, 'There's a lot of talk out there about
sustainable, organic, and reduced input farming. We think that's bad
farming, and threatens the viability of your farm loans. You should
consider protecting yourselves [the banks] by recalling any loans you
might have to farmers taking chances with such risky and unproven
management as low-input farming.'
Bart Hall-Beyer
Fayetteville, Arkansas