WILMOT, S.D. &mdash We can all thank T. Boone Pickens for his efforts to focus citizens and political leaders on our country&aposs most devastating problem: transferring our wealth ($700 billion annually) to oil exporting nations.
Conservation is only a footnote in the Pickens plan and reflects our culture&aposs view that conservation is basically a left-wing, un-American ideal. Conservation technologies hold far more promise than pumping America dry and more promise than all the wind we can harvest or all the ethanol we can produce.
Can&apost Americans remember Ben Franklin&aposs "a penny saved is a penny earned?"
Today&aposs hysterical cry that ethanol takes one-fourth of our corn production from food production does not square with today&aposs realities that corn exports, meat and milk production still are increasing while this year&aposs normal corn crop will restore feed grain inventories to 2006 levels. Grain fed per grain-consuming animal unit is down, reflecting distiller&aposs products, unique ability to efficiently bring more roughage and cellulose into ruminant rations. Importantly, 10 percent of our gasoline needs will be supplied by locally owned and produced ethanol that keeps dollars in the U.S. and, most importantly, in the hands of local citizens.
The poorest nations
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"People do not buy food, money buys food" wrote R-CALF&aposs Kathleen Kelly some years back.
Kelly was reflecting on the plight of those in the poorest nations and could just as well have been talking about the poorest in this nation. Countries that transfer their wealth to oil exporters increasingly leave citizens without money to buy the basics of life and their economy&aposs dominoes start to fall with financial institutions the first dominoes to tip.
There is hope as the U.S. and other struggling economies are beginning to shun pure free trade ideologies to become more energy independent and make it far more likely their poor will have money to buy food.
Editor&aposs Note: Swayze farms in Wilmot, S.D.
