Opinion: Balance of Power Might Shift To Ag

Just a few months ago, I wrote in this column that I couldn’t stand the primary season of an election, because it meant that the candidates who were now fighting within their own party would eventually act as if they were best of friends. If you watched either of the major parties’ conventions, you saw this for yourselves.

With that being said, I still consider myself a political junkie, and tend to follow things a lot closer as the first Tuesday of November draws near. This year, if you believe what is coming out of the pundits’ mouths, is the most important election in our nation’s history. While I certainly wouldn’t go that far, I do think that there are a number of issues that could easily turn drastically from one direction to another, depending on the outcome.

Just two years ago, we saw a huge power shift in the halls of Congress. While you can debate whether that actually meant much, it did lead — perhaps indirectly, perhaps not — to the passage of a Farm Bill that included more positive programs for the fruit and vegetable industry than ever before. It looks like we’re also seeing some progress on the issue of immigration and labor reform.

Know Their Positions

By the time you receive this issue, the November election will be a little more than a month away. That gives you plenty of time to study up on the issues, especially those that will have the most direct influence on your business. Consider some of the following:

• Immigration and labor reform. The fact that the executive and legislative branches of government are currently controlled by opposite parties has made it difficult to accomplish much of anything the past year and a half. One issue the two sides appear to be on the same page of is immigration. But will that change come November?

• Free trade and international trade agreements. The U.S.’s relationship with China is more complex than ever. The recent Olympic games helped shine a light on a world power whose economic potential remains somewhat of a mystery. How will trade agreements with China, as well as Mexico and elsewhere, be affected by a new president, and will they give you an advantage in the global market?

• Energy sources. Rising oil prices have set off a flurry of debates not just about whether or not to open our domestic supply channels, but also whether alternative energy sources are economically feasible and practical. It’s not just ethanol; some of the crops you grow, including peaches and cranberries, have been tapped as potential sources. How committed will the new administration be to supporting research into these fairly new arenas?

Level Of Commitment

As you study these issues and use them to determine your choice for the next president, apply this same analysis to your Congressional representatives, as well as local and statewide political races. At the end of the day, here’s the main question you should want answered: Does this candidate view farming as a dying industry, or do they recognize how important it is and why they should do everything in their power to make sure it remains viable?

Some of us will have the chance to do this first-hand next week, when the United Fresh Produce Association holds its annual Washington Public Policy Conference in the nation’s capital. It’s a chance for all segments of the industry to visit their senators and representatives, and explain to them the issues that are most vital to the farming community. When I made this trip a couple years ago, I certainly learned a lot about how in tune these decision-makers are. In some offices, we met with the top levels of authority, whether it was a chief of staff or the elected official themselves. But I’ll never forget the one meeting we were forced to conduct in a hallway outside of the main office. You could tell how “serious” they were about agriculture.