A4
OPINION
Blue Mountain Eagle
Feeding the
world will take
lots of land
prodigious amount of
U.S. farmland contin-
ues to be converted
to other uses. The American
Farmland Trust estimates that
between 2001 and 2016 more
than 11 million acres were
taken out of ag production.
While in the overall scheme
of things this is a proverbial
drop in the bucket — the total
farm acreage is 915 million —
development continues to chip
away at the land that feeds us
all.
Ultimately, as more land is
turned into housing develop-
ments or hobby farms, and as
the U.S. population continues
to grow — 328 million people
eat a lot — we will run head-
long into the limitations of
how much food farmers can
grow.
Add to that the growing
global population — 7 billion
and counting — and sooner or
later we will fi nd out whether
farmers can keep everyone
fed.
Which brings us back to
the land — farms, ranches and
national forest and Bureau of
Land Management allotments.
So often the arguments
off ered by critics of agriculture
lean on the “logic” that some
farms — large ones, primarily
— are too effi cient.
Now that’s a statement. It’s
kind of like being accused of
being too handsome or too
beautiful.
Yet that’s the rub. Critics
say that large farms use more
water than small farms and
large dairies produce more
manure than small dairies.
Sure enough, that is true.
But, assuming that the same
amount of food, or more, will
be needed by a growing pop-
ulation, it will have to come
from an increasing number of
animals and crops raised on
ranches and farms. Whether
they are raised on one 10,000-
A
acre farm or 1,000 10-acre
farms won’t make much
diff erence.
Except for one thing. Any
economies of scale will disap-
pear, and the cost of produc-
tion will increase. Whether
the prices paid to those farm-
ers will also increase to cover
those costs is an unknown.
In the meantime, effi ciency
is the friend of the farmer —
and the consumer. After all,
if prices increase too much, it
will directly impact consum-
ers, particularly those who are
low income.
So there is the conundrum.
Taking agricultural land out of
production is not just bad for
farmers and ranchers. It’s bad
for consumers and the rest of
the world.
That’s why we need to
keep close tabs on develop-
ers and others who see farm-
land and little more than shov-
el-ready for the next housing
subdivision.
The protection of farmland
must be taken seriously. Some
states, such as Oregon, have
worked to identify high-value
farmland and protect it.
Land trusts and other orga-
nizations have also come
up with means of protect-
ing farmland by purchasing
the development rights. This
allows farmers and ranch-
ers to continue, and even pro-
vides money to improve their
operations.
All of which needs to be
balanced against property
owners’ rights.
Again, what’s really at
stake is not only farms and
ranches. Ultimately, what’s a
stake is our nation’s ability to
feed itself — and help feed the
rest of the world.
Without debate, that is the
most important value of agri-
culture. And doing it depends
on land, effi ciency, technol-
ogy, research and plain old
know-how.
WHERE TO WRITE
GRANT COUNTY
• Grant County Courthouse — 201 S.
Humbolt St., Suite 280, Canyon City 97820.
Phone: 541-575-0059. Fax: 541-575-2248.
• Canyon City — P.O. Box 276, Canyon City
97820. Phone: 541-575-0509. Fax: 541-575-
0515. Email: tocc1862@centurylink.net.
• Dayville — P.O. Box 321, Dayville 97825.
Phone: 541-987-2188. Fax: 541-987-2187.
Email: dville@ortelco.net
• John Day — 450 E. Main St, John Day,
97845. Phone: 541-575-0028. Fax: 541-575-
1721. Email: cityjd@centurytel.net.
• Long Creek — P.O. Box 489, Long Creek
97856. Phone: 541-421-3601. Fax: 541-421-
3075. Email: info@cityofl ongcreek.com.
• Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monument
97864. Phone and fax: 541-934-2025. Email:
cityofmonument@centurytel.net.
• Mt. Vernon — P.O. Box 647, Mt. Vernon
97865. Phone: 541-932-4688. Fax: 541-932-
4222. Email: cmtv@ortelco.net.
• Prairie City — P.O. Box 370, Prairie City
97869. Phone: 541-820-3605. Fax: 820-3566.
Email: pchall@ortelco.net.
• Seneca — P.O. Box 208, Seneca 97873.
Phone and fax: 541-542-2161. Email:
senecaoregon@gmail.com.
SALEM
• Gov. Kate Brown, D — 254 State Capitol,
Salem 97310. Phone: 503-378-3111. Fax:
503-378-6827. Website: governor.state.or.us/
governor.html.
• Oregon Legislature — State Capitol, Salem,
97310. Phone: 503-986-1180. Website: leg.
state.or.us (includes Oregon Constitution and
Oregon Revised Statutes).
• Oregon Legislative Information —
(For updates on bills, services, capitol or
messages for legislators) — 800-332-2313,
oregonlegislature.gov.
• Sen. Lynn Findley, R-Vale — 900 Court St.
NE, S-301, Salem 97301. Phone: 503-986-
1730. Website: oregonlegislature.gov/fi ndley.
Email: sen.lynnfi ndley@oregonlegislature.
gov.
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
Published every
Wednesday by
Wednesday, April 21, 2021
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
‘A dog’s
phobia of fl ies’
To the Editor:
Regarding the question asked by
Mya Ennis in an April 7, 2021, let-
ter, a dog’s phobia of fl ies may be
due to a problem in the natal home
— a fl y swatter was used on fl ies
and puppies, ergo fl ies equal swats
with the same weapon.
Happy walking.
Jenni Roller
John Day
‘Address this
critical national
security threat’
To the Editor:
“As greenhouse gases increase,
sea levels are rising, average global
temperatures are increasing, and
severe weather patterns are accel-
erating. These changes, coupled
with other global dynamics,…will
devastate homes, land and infra-
structure.” — 2014 Quadrennial
Defense Review, U.S. Department
of Defense.
President Joe Biden’s proposal
to upgrade our nation’s infrastruc-
ture, the American Jobs Plan, has a
strong climate focus. The proposal
aims to make our infrastructure
more resilient to climate impacts,
and it includes initiatives to reduce
emissions in order to avoid the
worst eff ects of climate change.
The president’s plan would pro-
vide not only funding for roads and
bridges, but also for sustainable
housing and buildings, electric vehi-
cles and research and development
for clean energy technology.
A 2020 report on managing cli-
mate risk by the Commodity Futures
Trading Commission validates Pres-
ident Biden’s climate goals. This
document details the threat that cli-
mate change poses to America’s
energy, water, transportation and
communication infrastructure. For
example, it asserts that extreme pre-
cipitation, inundation from sea level
rise, extreme heat and forest fi res
“challenge nearly every element of
transportation systems, from bridges
and airports to pipelines and ports.”
Regarding climate solutions, the
report concludes that “it is essen-
tial that the United States establish
a price on carbon. This is the single
most important step to manage cli-
mate risk... In the absence of such a
price ... capital will continue to fl ow
in the wrong direction, rather than
toward accelerating the transition to
a net-zero emissions economy.”
That’s why I’m encouraged that
the Energy Innovation and Carbon
Dividend Act has been introduced in
the House of Representatives. This
bill puts a steadily rising fee on car-
bon dioxide emissions and returns
the money to the American people.
Let’s urge our members of Con-
gress to take action to address this
critical national security threat.
Terry Hansen
Hales Corners, Wisconsin
‘We have turned
our back on God’
To the Editor:
I am writing this letter with a
very heavy heart. There are things
going on, not just in our country,
but worldwide that are causing me
great concern. I know that our Lord
and Savior is in ultimate control and
that nothing surprises him, but I also
feel that we have a moral obliga-
tion to stand up for what is right and
to speak out against what is wrong.
I will be very curious to see if you
even publish this letter as a big part
of my concern is the censorship of
free speech that is going on. But
also, the erosion of our rights under
the pretext of a pandemic. The
edicts that have been handed down
to our small businesses and even
to us as individuals are absolutely
ridiculous, and it only takes about
30 minutes of honest, open-minded
research to see that very plainly. If
anyone has a personal conviction
that they feel better with a mask on,
I have no problem with that, but to
demand, under penalty of law, that
we all wear masks is a fl agrant vio-
lation of our basic rights as Ameri-
cans. I cannot help but feel that it is
about nothing other than control and
submission and the only way that
will change is if we all, as individu-
als, stand up and say: No more!
There is a more deeply rooted
problem in our nation that is allow-
ing all of these things to take place.
We have turned our back on God
and the morality that comes along
with being a God-fearing nation.
If we don’t change our ways very
soon, I am afraid that it will be too
late. If you can’t look around and
see the eff ects that the loss of our
morality is having on our nation,
then you are just being willfully
blind. I feel that this is directly con-
nected to the riots, mass shootings
and the general state of our republic.
Bill Newman
Monument
Diversity of life
makes Grant
County great
To the Editor:
This is in response to last week’s
letter in the Blue Mountain Eagle
regarding moving the Idaho bor-
der. In Eastern Oregon we do have
a diff erent lifestyle from city living.
Ours is country living.
But to say “we live by way dif-
ferent standards” denies the rich
diversity of life here that makes
Grant County a great place to live.
It would be a disservice to our com-
munities to say we all live the same
way, or we all have the same values.
We simply do not. And how boring
that would be if we did? The rich
diversity we have brings out creativ-
ity and innovation that has kept our
county moving forward. Do I agree
with everything about politics here?
No, not really. And I think no mat-
ter where you live you will encoun-
ter something you don’t particu-
larly like.
Do we really want to trade Grant
County’s minimum wage of $11.50
an hour for Idaho’s minimum wage
of $7.25? That is a lot to give up. I
bet people in minimum wage jobs
here wouldn’t be too happy with
that. Oregon has no sales tax. Idaho
has a sales tax even on groceries. Is
this what you want? Be careful what
you ask for.
So really, to those of you who
don’t like Oregon and the opportu-
nities we have as Oregonians, you
have options to move to a place
you like better, or you can decide to
remain here and enjoy what we do
have. And it wouldn’t hurt for each
of us to work more closely with the
people who represent us in Salem.
Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper
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MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
Online: MyEagleNews.com
Phone: 541-575-0710
To repeat, it’s time
for reasonable
choices
To the Editor:
In last week’s edition, there was
a response to my March 22 let-
ter in which the writer completely
missed my point that assault weap-
ons are not appropriate for private
ownership. I would say that, in fact,
she made my point by stating they
were originally designed for mili-
tary use. I still claim that they were
not designed for civilian use. The
hideous shootings of innocent vic-
tims throughout America these last
few weeks alone should have us all
questioning what can be done to
stop this slaughter. Inappropriate
fi rearm use must be dealt with.
The writer made other defenses
of people’s right to openly carry
fi rearms, but it is still wrong to pack
in such a way as to intimidate your
fellow citizens — especially when
exhibiting confrontational messages
designed to off end others with dif-
ferent views. When is it bullying
and off ensive and when is it free
speech? When I was a kid grow-
ing up here in Grant County, over-
use of “free speech” could get you
punched in the mouth. Today in
America, it’s not that simple. Too
often the fi rst response to a confl ict
is to pull and use a fi rearm.
In response to the writer’s cri-
tique of my point about moving the
border: I’m a fi fth-generation East-
ern Oregonian. I’ve voted both
Democrat and Republican. I don’t
need to be part of Idaho to make
my voice heard. I am extremely
off ended by the group of people that
I can only call the “alt-right” want-
ing to change the state’s border
just to get their voices heard. Rural
America will always have a chal-
lenge to make its voice be heard.
That fi ght won’t be changed by
moving the border. As I’ve always
said, it is much simpler for you
folks to just move to Idaho. How-
ever, I’m not sure that Boise and the
new Treasure Valley will want you.
Terry Steele
Ritter
Vaccinations
by the numbers
To the Editor:
Of the 66 million Americans
that have completed a full course of
vaccinations:
• Just .009% have become
infected
• Just 5,800 cases of “break-
through” infections, out of 66
million
• 40% of infections were in folks
over 60
• 29% of cases (so about 1,700)
were asymptomatic
• Most of the rest were mild
• Just 7% (about 406) of those
infected were hospitalized
• And only 74 have died (1%)
What it means: 74 deaths is, of
course, a brutal loss for 74 families,
but no COVID-19 vaccine provides
for 100% protection.
John H. Van Gundy
John Day
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And, by the way, I hear through the
grapevine that Idaho is slowly shift-
ing leftward. You just might have to
move again.
Eva Harris
Canyon City
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