More from Council of Presidents

Energy has eclipsed all other national policy issues, and a comprehensive solution using a variety of sources is necessary, Rep. Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) told our gathering of state Farm Bureau presidents at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Council of Presidents meeting, which wrapped up on Wednesday.
“The American people understand we no longer want to be dependent on other countries for the lifeblood of our economy,” Putnam said. A self-proclaimed “land grant and Farm Bureau baby” who was raised on a Florida citrus and cattle operation, Putnam understands the disastrous effect of high energy prices on America’s farmers and ranchers.
“This is an issue that is uniquely important to rural America, where people tend to have to drive further and drive less fuel-efficient vehicles,” Putnam said. He added that agriculture input costs, such as fertilizer, have skyrocketed due to the energy crisis. Additionally, he said efforts to simply create more fuel-efficient vehicles aren’t enough because “you can’t pull a trailer behind a (Toyota) Prius.” Instead, he supports an approach that would increase American energy production. He supports an energy policy using a variety of energy sources, including offshore drilling, natural gas, nuclear power plants and biofuels.
“We must build on the corn-based ethanol model while moving toward cellulosic,” Putnam said.

Also on Wednesday we heard from McCain and Obama

Barack Obama and John McCain spoke to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Council of Presidents meeting by teleconference, both pledging their continued support for American agriculture.
Sen. McCain pledged to support trade agreements that will open markets to U.S. agriculture. “
Sen. Obama followed McCain and emphasized his support of the recently passed farm bill.
“Rural America stands at a crossroads. Now more than ever we need a strong agricultural sector. We rely on the farmers of America to produce safe, plentiful food at a reasonable price. And even with the increase in food prices, Americans only spend 10 percent of their income on food which is the lowest of any country in the world,” Obama said. “America is also looking to agriculture to help make us energy independent.”
Both McCain and Obama emphasized the need of agriculture to meet America’s energy needs. McCain heralded his “Lexington Project” to make America energy independent which includes alternative fuels, ethanol, nuclear and offshore drilling.
Both candidates touched on two key issues for American agriculture: the estate tax and immigration reform.
McCain said the first $10 million of an estate should be exempt from the estate tax with anything above the $10 million level taxed at a 15- percent rate.
Obama said he would keep the estate tax exemption at the 2009 rate, $3.5 million for single filers and $7 million for married couples, but pledged to not raise it above that level. He said the $7 million level will exempt 99.7 percent of all taxpayers.
Both McCain and Obama emphasized the need for immigration reform to meet the current labor crisis facing agriculture.
McCain highlighted the need for a temporary worker program. Obama pledged to have comprehensive immigration reform done in his first year of office.