The Chris Moeller Archives

Vote Denise O'Brien

There will be just one political endorsement on the blog this fall. A remarkable candidate is running for the office of Agriculture Secretary in Iowa. Denise O'Brien of Atlantic, Iowa is an organic farmer, an outspoken advocate for sustainable land use and renewable energy, and a former delegate to the United Nations on behalf of family farms. As an inductee of the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame, past president of the National Family Farm Coalition, and current head of the Women, Food, and Agriculture Network, she's been a noted critic of the corporate polluters who prey on our state's quality of life.

The biggest plus of O'Brien's candidacy, for me, is her support of greater agricultural diversity in the state. Iowa has long been locked in an industrial farming cycle of two-crop, corn and soybeans production that has robbed our local communities of immeasurable economic opportunity and much of their natural resource. She also supports community zoning control over the large-scale corporate hog lots that have been polluting our air and water over the last two decades.

The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, a once-great advocacy group whose recent leaders have climbed in bed with the state's politically-powerful absentee landholders and polluters, is so afraid of O'Brien that its president took the unprecedented step of mailing a funding solicitation letter to its members on behalf of her opponent. Of course, O'Brien, a member of the Farm Bureau herself, did not receive the letter.

The Federation's leadership knows Denise O'Brien will not be their puppet in the state legislature, where they have long held the strings and frequently betrayed their rank and file. O'Brien would take back the power for the families of our rural communities ravaged by greed and a short-sided business approach. Join me in voting for Denise O'Brien for Secretary of Agriculture November 7th, and also writing in her name for governor.

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The Cardinals' most exciting player since Ozzie Smith suits up for possibly the last time tonight at Busch Stadium. If these are destined to be our final images, thanks for the the thrills, Jimmy. And thanks for leaving it all on the field.

posted by CM @ 5:42 PM