DTN Political Correspondent Jerry Hagstrom reports that the nation's sugar growers are more at ease over Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama after receiving a letter Obama's campaign sent supporting the sugar program and the 2008 farm bill.

When Obama was a state senator in Illinois, he had criticized the sugar program for raising ingredient prices for Chicago candy makers, but on Tuesday Obama wrote, “While it’s true I have had concerns about the program, I will commit to listening and working with you in the future to ensure that we have a safety net that works for all of agriculture.” He added, “I believe we should reward your hard work with policies that will keep your industry and your communities strong.”

Bill Hejl, an Amenia, N.D. farmer, who is former president of the World Association of Beet and Cane Growers and the Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association, said in a telephone interview with Hagstrom that Obama’s statement indicated that as a presidential candidate he “represents a broader range of interest” than when he was a state legislator from Illinois. Hejl also said that Obama has never voted against the sugar program and supported the 2008 farm bill while McCain has consistently opposed the program and said that he agreed with President Bush’s decision to veto the bill. Hejl described Obama’s positions on farm policy as “ten times better” than McCain’s.

Mike Harsbargen, a Breckenridge, Minn. resident who is a director and past chairman, Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative in Wahpeton, N.D., said Obama’s statement is

“reassuring considering the option Sen. McCain provides, which is no option for us. For those of us in the industry it has been a continuing heartburn that Sen. McCain would not listen to our position.” Harsbargen said he is supporting Obama “for his openness in general and his willingness to listen to us on sugar policy.” Harsbargen said many sugar growers in the Red River Valley of Minnesota and North Dakota have become aware of specific positions “these two men take on our livelihood..” He concluded, “There are some [Republicans] who simply will not cross the aisle, but there has been a significant movement of some who understand McCain’s positions will destroy our business.”

Alan Welp, a Wray, Colo. farmer, who is the president of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association, said in a telephone interview that farmers usually vote Republican but that he believes McCain’s opposition to farm programs will lead farmers to vote for Obama. “Sen. McCain seems to want to radically alter [the farm safety net]. It is not what we need at this time with higher input costs and lower commodity prices.”

Carolyn Cheney, a senior vice president of the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida and president of the American Sugar Alliance, said through a spokesman, “We were very encouraged by Sen. Obama’s letter. It is obvious that he understands the challenges facing America’s farmers.”

A spokesman for Florida Crystals Corp. the cane sugar company owned by the Fanjul family, said that despite the letter and McCain’s position family members as usual are split in the support. He said Alfie Fanjul is supporting Obama while Pepe Fanjul Sr. and Pepe Fanjul Jr. are supporting McCain. “It makes for a healthy discussion amongst themselves,” the spokesman said.

In the letter, Obama also noted that he has voted for ethanol and renewable fuels mandates that McCain has opposed and would insist on “enforceable labor and environmental standards” in trade agreements. Obama also said he would support “full funding” for the overseas market promotion programs that McCain has said he would cut to balance the budget.

Rural Voters Divided

A poll of rural voters in battleground states shows that this critical group of voters moved toward Democrat Barack Obama during a three-week period in October.

The Center for Rural Strategies poll, commissioned on behalf of the National Rural Assembly, sampled rural voters in 13 swing states from Oct. 1-21. During these three weeks the poll found that Obama led McCain 46 to 45 percent, which is within the poll's 3.38 percent margin of error.

President Bush won among rural voters in battleground states by 15 points in 2004, and that margin was critical in his victory in key states such as Ohio.

More rural voters in the poll thought Obama would do a better job handling the economy than McCain, but voters though McCain would do better handling Iraq. Voters were split on which candidate would be better on taxes or handling the nation's financial crisis.

http://www.ruralstrategies.org/…

NFU's Mister COOL

Tom Buis, president of the National Farmers Union, is implementing mandatory country-of-origin labeling one major packer at a time. It began late last month when Buis had dinner with Dick Bond, president and CEO of Tyson Foods. About a week later, Tyson announced it would use "Product of the USA" label and sort its livestock accordingly to properly ensure the right label was used for meats.

Cargill Meats followed suit and on Thursday the National Farmers Union and Rock Mountain Farmers Union received word that JBS Swift & Co. would also comply with the intent of COOL as well. Tyson, Cargill and Swift collectively account for the majority of beef processed in the country.

"Consumers simply have the right to know where their food comes from," Buis stated in a news release. "I am pleased to see the nation's three largest packers come together in a cooperative spirit to follow the intent of the law."

Buis added that roughly 90 percent of all fresh retail beef and pork cuts meet the definition of USA and would qualify for label A, the USA label, as directed in the 2008 farm bill.

Attention to Detail Needed

Blogs are the perfect tool for showing writers that, yes, we do need editors. I tend to make the mistakes in typing that aren't easily caught without another pair of eyes looking at the copy. Yesterday, for example, I made my point by writing "Needless to day ..." That really made my point, didn't it? Well, I apologize for allowing such sloppy work to get posted and I will work to improve.