The recent commercials supporting Measure 5 are a joke. I don't know how they managed to get a farmer to speak in favor of this out-of-state land grab, but I guarantee Dick Monson doesn't represent the vast majority of farmers and ranchers who are against Measure 5.
The sad thing is that we've gotten pretty used to Ducks Unlimited and other out-of-state groups attacking agriculture. They are always trying to either buy land or place easements on land to take it out of production. So it's no surprise that we don't believe them when they say this measure isn't about buying land. Just a couple of weeks ago, they tried to buy land in Grand Forks County.
Ducks Unlimited keeps pretending farmers and ranchers support Measure 5. But, when you look at their list of endorsements, there are only a handful of ag producers. That's because real North Dakotans oppose Measure 5.
If North Dakotans are wondering where ag stands on this issue, look at the members on each side, and that should tell you pretty quick. Every ag organization in the state is against Measure 5. Those organizations represent more than 300,000 farmers and landowners -- certainly more than the handful of farmers that support the measure.
I encourage all North Dakotans to stand with us against Measure 5. We know how to take care of our land without out-of-state groups coming in here and telling us how to do it. Let's send these groups back to Washington empty-handed. Vote no on 5.
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Editor's note: Jacobson is a resident of Noonan, N.D.
