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Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson is simply awful.
Collin Peterson, chairman of the House of Representatives agricultural committee, says the farm sector that raises organic produce and grass-fed beef for local consumers needs little federal help. 'It is growing, and it has nothing to do with the government, and that is good,' he told the FT. 'For whatever reason, people are willing to pay two or three times as much for something that says 'organic' or 'local'. Far be it from me to understand what that's about, but that's reality. And if people are dumb enough to pay that much then hallelujah.'"
The district has a strong Republican PVI (+13), but it's not a traditional Republican district. It's very rural Minnesota, a place where ethnic loyalties are incredibly strong and there are still Scandinavian accents. People in Peterson's district think that taxes are too low, and are exceptionally populist in that one world model that fears the NAFTA Superhighway.
Peterson is the reason the Farm Bill is going to subsidize agribusiness and cut out money for conservation (way to go Democratic Congress!). The sustainable agricultural community, as far as I can tell, isn't organized in any sort of union with people like me who like tasty food and will pay higher prices so I don't get poisoned and don't have to emit as much carbon. I go to Farmer's Markets and the producers there are progressive, but they tend to talk like conservatives. They hate government regulations, which basically just punish small farmers who want to grow and sell high quality foods, and tend to distrust and dislike the political system.
Agribusiness has driven a truck through this wedge for fifty years now, but I get the sense that with some real organizing, the small farms could really have a big impact. It's not just that the farms are growing sustainable food without subsidies and against a hostile regulatory structure and growing their business, it's also that more progressive solutions on energy and land use policies will help these farms and their communities as well.
Meanwhile, if anyone has lived in Peterson's district and knows the DFLers around there, let me know.
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