Checkoff is government speech?
By John Stencel
More than a month after the Supreme Court’s May 23 ruling upholding the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 (beef checkoff), I am still reeling from shock that the court affirmed the defendant’s position that the checkoff is government speech.
Those bringing the case argued it is an issue of free speech and […]
Small-scale family farmers and ranchers join forces to create new brand
Repealing estate tax not good for family farmers
By John Stencel
In April the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 8, Permanent Estate Tax Repeal Act of 2005. One Washington columnist calls it the Paris Hilton tax cut, and in fact, the idea of repealing the estate tax was planted in 1992 when heirs to the Mars, Inc. and other very wealthy families joined […]
Energy shortage challenges future of agriculture
By John Stencel
With fuel costs increasing nearly 25 percent over what they were a year ago, I am surprised that there has been no public outcry. While consumers are forced to devote more of their incomes to paying for fuel for their vehicles and to heat (or air condition) their homes, transportation, farming, and other […]