During a meeting with the corn growers association in September, Obama said that as he traveled the country, he saw that rural America was struggling. "Our economy is in turmoil," he said. "Families in the heartland are being squeezed by the rising cost of health care, and energy and wages are not keeping pace. And more and more farmers are worrying because even though some commodity prices are higher, input costs are higher as well."
He said farmers were not just a part of a string of bad luck. "The truth is, while you've been living up to your responsibilities, Washington has not. And at this defining moment, when the stakes could not be higher, rural America needs change."
Obama told the grain farmers that he supported the farm bill and its average crop revenue election program that gives farmers a helping hand in turning a profit.
He said he was proud of his record on rural issues in Illinois and that as president he would understand that when the government strengthens rural communities, it lifts the entire nation.
Excerpts of other Obama views in a position paper presented to the corn growers association:
* Ethanol and renewable energy: "I am a strong supporter of efforts to reduce our dependence on foreign oil by promoting the development of renewable energy, including biofuels, solar and wind energy.
"Farmers are on the cutting edge of America's path to energy independence," he said. "We are already replacing millions of barrels of imported oil thanks to our successful biofuels program, and I recently established a goal to have 60 billion gallons of our fuel come from biofuels by 2022."
* Taxes: He said his plan would provide a tax cut for 95 percent of working Americans, including farmers.
* Trade: "Trade is vital to our agriculture sector," he told the farm group. "About 20 percent of the corn and 35 percent of the soybeans we grow in the United States are exported. These markets increase demand for our home-grown products and provide American farmers with additional revenue. Our farmers are among the most efficient in the world, and if given a level playing field, can compete effectively with anyone in the world."
* Environmental regulations: He said he would make it a priority to consult stakeholders when important policy decisions affecting agriculture are considered, whether at the Department of Agriculture or the Environmental Protection Agency.
Help for soybeans
