In response to Francis Thicke’s announcement yesterday to run for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, The Iowa Republican Party’s Executive Director Jeff Boeyink issued a release that was long on name calling and slander, but absent of substance. Boeyink called Thicke an “ultra radical” who “would spell disaster to the stability and sustainability of our family farmers and the jobs they represent.”
Thicke’s campaign focuses on increasing the economic and environmental sustainability of Iowa’s family farms. “Advocating for conserving our soil, water quality, family farms, and rural communities is not radical,” said Thicke. “To me that fits the definition of a true conservative.”
Thicke, a successful family farmer for over 25 years, added, “Iowa agriculture today faces major challenges, as well as tremendous opportunities. I would welcome an opportunity to debate Bill Northey–or Jeff Boeyink–on issues of importance to Iowa agriculture. However, I am not interested in indulging in name calling or slander.”
Reflecting his desire to avoid a mud-slinging campaign, Thicke added, “There is no mud on the high road.”
3 Comments
my Republican father used to say
that conservatives should support conservation. What does Jeff Boeyink have against your making money while preserving the rich soil on your land?
desmoinesdem Thu 10 Sep 1:16 PM
Have you ever seen an organic farm?
I have a neighbor who raises organic crops. He tills the soil alot to kill the weeds before he plants. This is his only way to control the weeds he has. This leaves his farm open to soil erosion. Makes me sick in the winter to see his soil blowing into the ditch.
Organic is not a better choice for soil consevation. It is a different choice but not better.
If the world went organic, there would not be enough food to go around, and the dead zone in the gulf would get bigger because more soil eroded.
I support consevation on my farm. We use no till to plant our crops. We leave crop residue on the land to protect the soil from wind and rain. We plant grass in the water ways to prevent water from eroding the soil. We also have built outlet terraces to slow the flow of water to prevent erosion.
We believe that the land should be better for the next generation than we found it.
Later
im4klein Thu 10 Sep 4:41 PM
I've seen lots of organic farms
I don’t know anything about your neighbor, and I congratulate you for using some conservation methods. That said, considerable research shows that organic farming preserves soil and builds up nutrients in the soil.
Here’s a 9-year study by the USDA, which showed “that organic farming can build soil organic matter better than conventional no-till farming can.”
desmoinesdem Thu 10 Sep 5:43 PM