Iowa gives birth to a dictatorship

By Jeff Caldwell

Centuries of history have shown us that cultures and civilizations don't thrive well under the rule of one person. The dictatorship, by its very definition, is the polar opposite of the foundation of our government in the United States.

A recent action by a handful of appointed officials in Iowa struck a blow to this type of democratic system for livestock farmers and now could endanger the state's entire industry. And, it could be coming to your state capitol.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Commission--a handful of men and women appointed by the governor to oversee matters of environmental concern--voted last week to approve a measure to provide DNR director Jeff Vonk what many in the livestock industry consider "subjective authority" in the siting and construction of livestock farms. Just weeks before, Gov. Tom Vilsack vetoed Senate File 2377, a bill that would have narrowed the DNR director's discretion. This action essentially opened the door for the EPC to strike this blow to the Iowa livestock industry.

Now, in this move ushered by thunderous applause by opponents of the livestock industry, one man has the singular authority. That means if a farmer follows state regulation to the "T" in the siting and construction of a farm, Vonk can still, at his personal discretion, deny the required DNR permits to operate.

In other words, he now holds the fate of countless livestock farmers, their families and their operations in the palm of his hand. It's now a dictatorship.

Iowa has some of the most productive soils in the world. Iowa has an ample water supply. And, as the leader of the booming ethanol production industry, Iowa now has an enormous local feed supply. Adding all these factors together yields a clear-cut answer. With such a combination on one side of the equation, there's no question the solution is to increase the state's cattle and hog herds.

But, on the other side of the equation is a state government--exemplified by last week's EPC approval of the Iowa DNR director discretion measure--that not only lets livestock-driven economic opportunities pass it by, but actually enacts regulation to prevent it from reaching fruition. It's like the state of Iowa is trying to shoot itself in the foot, and appointed officials in the Statehouse are handing it the bullets. Let's hope the shooting stops here.

Jeff Caldwell can be reached by phone at 515-280-5405 or by e-mail at jcaldwell@mchsi.com.

Date: 6/21/06

	Web hpj.com

Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2008.  High Plains Publishers, Inc.  All rights reserved.  Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com