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to the editor from this week's Chronicle To the Editor Thank a Farmer for Food Fiber, Fuel and Our Future By Curtis Elke, State Conservationist for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service; Matt Gellings, State Executive Director for USDA’s Farm Service Agency; and Benjamin Thiel, Regional Office Director for USDA’s Risk Management Agency March 22 is National Ag Day, a time for us to thank farmers, ranchers and private timber producers for feeding, sheltering and powering our nation. We also want to celebrate and recognize the pivotal role of producers in mitigating climate change through voluntary conservation efforts. Climate change is happening, evidenced by persistent drought, frequent tornadoes and storms, and larger and more powerful wildfires. Our agricultural communities are on the frontlines. Now is the time for us to act, and Idaho producers are doing their part. We’re focused on providing producers tools to help mitigate climate change. As part of this, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken proactive steps to improve programs. We bolstered the Conservation Reserve Program, providing an incentive for climate-smart practices and investing in partnerships to better quantify the benefits of this program. With our Environmental Quality Incentives Program, we launched a new cover crop initiative as well as new conservation incentive contract option, all with a goal to make available additional funds to help producers conserve natural resources. And finally, we’re enhancing Federal crop insurance to support conservation. In 2021 and 2022, we provided producers with a premium benefit for acres planted to cover crops. You might be wondering, why so much emphasis on cover crops? Cover crops help soil sequester more carbon, a key tool for mitigating climate change; they prevent runoff, leading to cleaner water; and they boost production through improved soil health. But cover crops are just one tool, and producers in Idaho are also using no-till, prescribed grazing and nutrient management among others. Our staff work one-on-one with producers to conserve natural resources, grow and improve their operations, and manage risk. This year’s National Ag Day theme is “Growing a Climate for Tomorrow.” We know from firsthand experience – farmers are doing this. On National Ag Day, and every day, we encourage you to thank a farmer or rancher for food, fiber, and fuel – and our future. Curtis Elke, State Conservationist for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, can be reached at Curtis.Elke@usda.gov . Matt Gellings, State Executive Director for USDA’s Farm Service Agency, can be reached at Matt.Gellings@usda.gov. Benjamin Thiel, Regional Office Director for USDA’s Risk Management Agency, can be reached at Benjamin.Thiel@usda.gov. Producers interested in USDA programs are encouraged to contact their local USDA Service Center. To the Editor The Slippery Slope to Slavery part IV To explain this part I must enter the theological realm. The “real” law articulates the will and character of God, a perfect being that is incorruptible and does no harm. The “fake” law articulates the will and character of Man, a flawed, selfish and covetous being that uses “the ends justifies the means”. The fruit of the “real” law is truth, liberty and justice for all. The fruit of the “fake” law is lies, theft, corruption and eventual death. The Bible does a great job of describing this with story lines. These quotes come to mind: “I will be like the most high” “Ye shall be as God” “Thou shalt not covet” “If my people will humble themselves and call on my name, I will heal their land” King David’s last words in 2 Samuel 23 describes “the rebelous” as being so difficult to control that it requires a “rod of iron” to subdue it and he admits this requires a perfect King. Our civilization is dying from the evil that comes from covetousness that uses “the ends justifies the means” to corrupt language, culture, government and law and according to the Bible will only be ultimately cured by the rule and reign of Christ on this earth. My hope is that those days are coming soon. Sanford Staab Redneck Review! No. 360 - 3/20/22 Concluded today is a topic begun two weeks ago, an enquiry into the conditions that were present in our country, very basic in a relative short time, of rising to become the envy of all countries in providing the best, the most free, the most profitable place to live on earth! History gives us the clues, essentially that our early United States was started by leaders who adhered to a belief in a Creator God, and the religion started by HIS son, born on earth, who gave rise to a way of life which came to be called CHRISTIANITY. Referred to here several times in the past, a single reference is the quotation from the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights... life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," and in words similar to the following: "And when the government created violates these rights, it is the right and the duty of the people to overthrow that government." It was also noted that two new ideas have crept into the thinking of important officials, much of our public press, and a significant number of so-called important people. First, that reliance on a concerned Deity whose few regulations keep order and provide for the good things that are associated with the U.S., has been replaced by a conviction that leaders in government and big banks can achieve a literal utopia on earth where all, stress ALL, can share equally in the good things of life, distributed by the power of the ruling class. Second, that basic to this is that each individual has the right to decide for himself matters of right and wrong, and that the older requirement that all live by traditional rules is outdated, no longer applicable to modern times. Last week an example was given of a former student of mine, coming to visit years after leaving our local high school, claimed that he alone had the right to decide important questions, like the use of abortion to control unwanted births, to leave or reenter marriage relationships which were not working as expected, or in some way or another were frowned on or forbidden by earlier outmoded religions. As the discussion continued, my former student friend bristled a bit, when I asked if everyone had to follow his beliefs, making him somewhat of a minor God, or would he allow other individuals to make their personal rules on how to act. After pondering the question he admitted that others should have the same right to decide that he had! So he agreed that I could, if in good conscience, take a knife from the wall and slice him in two if I really believed he was a serious threat to my family, my friends and my country!!! Really? That would work? A similar situation arose during my four summer studies in math at Reed College in Portland, during the 1960's. About two dozen teachers were selected from around the country to up grade their math skills, which I for one, and many others, definitely needed! Those who finished the program, requiring a lengthy and difficult final math paper, earned a Master's of Art in Math degree! But of equal interest was the variety of beliefs of that group! Many of us would gather for coffee after classes, and the topics often centered around controversial issues at the time! Catholics and Christians, Protestants, atheists, Jews, some still convinced, others fallen away, tackled the most delicate topics of the time! One fellow in particular, very aggressive, sounded just like my former student, demanding the right to decide for himself on issues disagreed upon. When asked what happened if he and his wife disagreed on the number of children wanted, HE would decide! But what would happen if his wife demanded that decision, and "she could whip him in a fair fight!" Friend BOSS was pushed into a corner when asked if his RIGHT was only his or extended to others who believed the same? Imagine what happened when he was asked if a "coin flip should decide tough issues," or "Could he possibly be some kind of minor god!!!" Other good humor suggestions concluded, "Some kind of agreed solution was needed!" Jake Wren
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