The USDA rats are jumping ship - Bye bye Mike Johanns, Watch out Nebraska

Bush taps Ag deputy to run agency

By MARY CLARE JALONICK
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

WASHINGTON — Charles Conner, the Agriculture Department official picked to become acting secretary upon the departure of Mike Johanns, has worked on farm issues in Washington for more than two decades.

Conner became deputy agriculture secretary in 2005. Before that he was a White House farm adviser and president of the Corn Refiners Association. He also worked on the Senate Agriculture Committee for 12 years, most of that time as staff director.

A native of Indiana, Conner grew up on a farm that remains in his family.

Conner assumes the job as Congress is writing the next farm bill. The House passed its version of the multi-billion-dollar legislation in June, but negotiations have hit bumps in the Senate.

Mary Kay Thatcher, a lobbyist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the transition should be smooth with Conner at the helm, since he has been involved in the process so far.

Johanns, who announced his resignation Thursday and is expected to run for the U.S. Senate, strenuously objected to the House farm bill. He argued that Congress should put stronger limits on payments to wealthy farmers. The White House issued a veto threat.

“I think the farm bill is an administration position, not a Mike Johanns position,” Thatcher said.

Thatcher and Tom Buis, president of the National Farmers Union, praised Conner’s experience.

“I think (Conner) will be very positive for the process because of his knowledge of all of the intricacies of farm policy,” Buis said. “He’s very well liked on Capitol Hill.”

North Dakota Sen. Kent Conrad, a Democratic member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said he has known Conner for a long time and has always liked him, even if he hasn’t always agreed with him.

“He is somebody who will be respected in the discussions,” Conrad said.

Still, Conrad said it is distracting to change leadership in the middle of a farm bill.

“For the secretary to walk away in the middle of a farm bill borders on irresponsible,” Conrad said.

Several state officials said that Johanns is expected to seek the Senate seat being vacated at the end of next year by Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb.

USDA restructuring? Sounds good? Not a chance.

In another turn of events Rep. Colin Peterson, head of the House Ag Committee is saying he might call for a restructuring of USDA. Read about that here.

A biblical answer for USDA/APHIS and Mike Johanns

Proverbs 12:11

11 He who works his land will have abundant food,
but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.

USDA, Mike Johanns, all you all, you are chasing a fantasy of food safety and disease tracking by the methods you are pursuing. You will never get full voluntary compliance for NAIS. You've got it all backwards. The real enemy of food, besides USDA and FDA are the CAFOs, importation of foreign, not inspected meat that doesn't have to meet the same NAIS obligations that you are trying and lying so hard to cram down our throats and the bogus USDA "organic standard". Don't you think it is time to re-evaluate and scrap your plans?

Here is Proverb 12 in full. It is a wise man who works to rightly divide the word of God. There is much profit in these words.

Proverbs 12

1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates correction is stupid.

2 A good man obtains favor from the LORD,
but the LORD condemns a crafty man.

3 A man cannot be established through wickedness,
but the righteous cannot be uprooted.

4 A wife of noble character is her husband's crown,
but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

5 The plans of the righteous are just,
but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
but the speech of the upright rescues them.

7 Wicked men are overthrown and are no more,
but the house of the righteous stands firm.

8 A man is praised according to his wisdom,
but men with warped minds are despised.

9 Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant
than pretend to be somebody and have no food.

10 A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal,
but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

11 He who works his land will have abundant food,
but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.

12 The wicked desire the plunder of evil men,
but the root of the righteous flourishes.

13 An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk,
but a righteous man escapes trouble.

14 From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things
as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.

15 The way of a fool seems right to him,
but a wise man listens to advice.

16 A fool shows his annoyance at once,
but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

17 A truthful witness gives honest testimony,
but a false witness tells lies.

18 Reckless words pierce like a sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

19 Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

20 There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil,
but joy for those who promote peace.

21 No harm befalls the righteous,
but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

22 The LORD detests lying lips,
but he delights in men who are truthful.

23 A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself,
but the heart of fools blurts out folly.

24 Diligent hands will rule,
but laziness ends in slave labor.

25 An anxious heart weighs a man down,
but a kind word cheers him up.

26 A righteous man is cautious in friendship, ^[a]
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

27 The lazy man does not roast ^[b] his game,
but the diligent man prizes his possessions.

28 In the way of righteousness there is life;
along that path is immortality.

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 12:26 Or man is a guide to his neighbor
2. Proverbs 12:27 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.