Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Walker proposes Selling Wisconsin Farmland to Foreign Interests!!!

I have never understood why farmers bought into the Republican ideology so easily. Do they really like a party that basically hates its own government, works one month out of the year (if that), and hypocritically loves collecting a taxpayer salary with government run health care, is on their side or looking out for them?

Well, the next big assault, after jumping on the corporate-farm wagon, is selling off the agricultural land that represents the very backbone of our state economy. WPR audio:

BUDGET WOULD ALLOW EASIER FOREIGN PURCHASE OF WISCONSIN FARMLAND: A provision in Governor Scott Walker's latest budget is causing concern among some farmers in the state.

For decades, foreign investors and corporations couldn't purchase more than 640 acres of land in the state. The provision was originally put in place over concern Canada was trying to buy up land in Minnesota and other states. Now, Governor Walker says he wants those restrictions lifted because it conflicts with international trade treaties. 
Hold on a second. I thought Republicans were against losing U.S. sovereignty to foreign countries? Not when they can make a buck, and push more small farmers off their land.
Kara Slaughter is the government relations director with the Wisconsin Farmers Union. She says the proposed change could make already expensive farm land even more costly: "We open the flood gates to a tremendous influx of investment capital into the farmland sector, that could make ownership of farmland simply unattainable for average farms." 

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