Torrey L. Schatz: ND Farm Bureau

What’s Good for the Goose

To the Editor:

I must admit I was a little surprised by statements from the North Dakota Farm Bureau this week.

In a statement issued on 11-23-09, the farm organization stated that it is opposed to all farm program payments and asks that they be discontinued. They then go on to decry health care reform as a government takeover, which it is not. Nonetheless, the North Dakota Farm Bureau gets a great deal of its revenue through insurance operations including a federally subsidized crop insurance program. Are they asking for an end to the crop insurance program too?

How can they possibly participate in that government-run program that subsidizes premiums for all farmers regardless of their income, and complain about a health reform measure that subsidizes health insurance for those who can’t afford coverage?

Let’s face it, there are thousands of farmers in North Dakota who have a tough time affording health insurance. Apparently Farm Bureau members don’t have that problem. It truly makes one wonder, if paying for health insurance is not a problem, why should the rest of us be helping their members pay their crop insurance premiums?

Eric Aasmundstad and organizations can’t have it both ways. If they oppose health insurance for those in need, surely they would oppose crop insurance subsidies for those in need, surely they would oppose crop insurance for those who are not in need.

Torrey L. Schatz
Casselton, N.D.