Agricultural organizations typically endorse candidates based on their record and history of support for farm and ranch families. We don’t dive into any other issues because our grassroots members are focused only on producing food for this state and they want leaders – regardless of party affiliation – who want to advance the state’s number one industry. When groups like us endorse, we know that we have members who will vote for the other candidate because, as a voter, you need to look at all the issues, not just agriculture.
However, we have little tolerance for cowardly attacks on the credibility of farm and ranch organizations from out of state money who are falsely bashing the records of candidates who have stood firm for the men and women producing food for the citizens of this state.
This Virginia-based “ScrapPac” is attacking Senator Kurt Schaefer on agriculture. My guess is it’s because the senator has the support of several agricultural commodity organizations in the state or because he has been one of the strongest defenders of Missouri agriculture in the state senate. Or maybe it’s because this PAC is anti-agriculture and is funded by animal rights extremists groups. Your guess is as good as true because this so-called Super PAC has not disclosed where their funding is coming from. They don’t have to disclose it and aren’t breaking any law, but it is a good example of cowardly politics and a prime example of why many Missourians distrust government. This group hides behind millions of dollars from donors that don’t have the guts to own their opinions and to be proud of where they stand. This infuriates me.
This PAC is claiming that the senator voted to give up our farm ground to the Chinese, surrender our sovereignty and pledge allegiance to Preisdent Xi Jinping. Okay, this is a bit of a stretch, but not over the top if you watched the dramatized television advertisement depicting fully armed Chinese soldiers charging the enemy; Chinese citizens running in fear in the streets; and a small girl desperately gripping an American flag. The message this out-of- state PAC is hoping you will buy into is one of emotional exaggeration and mind manipulation.
The fact is foreign ownership of farm land in Missouri was illegal – as the ad stated – but the ad didn’t tell you that foreigners were still buying farm land. In fact, when the legislation was being debated, the Missouri Department of Agriculture initially estimated that around three quarters of a percent of Missouri farm ground was foreign owned.
How is that possible considering it was illegal? Well, there was little-to- no enforcement of the law and no rock solid way of tracking the ownership of the land. The attempt was to fix a broken law and cap the amount of foreign-owned farm land to one percent and put in place a program for the Missouri Department of Agriculture to approve and track purchases. Sounds like good government, doesn’t it? We have to have legislators who will identify problems and fix them. The legislation was passed by an overwhelming bipartisan majority.
The ad also implies that all foreign ownership is pure evil. Regardless of your opinion about foreign ownership, I find it concerning that we would suggest getting rid of all foreign ownership and all the jobs that are created. Who is going to be the one to tell farmers in Northwest Missouri that they are out of a job because we don’t want foreign investments? Who is going to force New Zealand-owned dairies in Southwest Missouri to close up shop? Who is going to call Budweiser and inform them that they aren’t welcome in Missouri? Who is making the call to Purina Pet Food? Who is going to call all of the 7-11 employees? The list goes on and on. This association wants Missouri farms to stay in Missouri and to stay family owned and that’s why we supported the legislation to more effectively manage and track foreign ownership. To attack legislators who agreed is a blatant manipulation of the facts.
Vote for who you want. Vote for the candidate that best lines up with your belief system. But please be leery of claims coming from out-of- state groups with mysterious donors.
Mike Deering is a farmer from Montgomery City, Missouri and also serves as the executive vice president of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association
