District Manager’s View

By Rick Woodley

September 2005

Farmers, ranchers and the timber industry in the Klamath Basin and throughout the Western United States remain primary targets for every over-zealous environmental organization that can come up with an excuse to attack production agriculture and timber harvest. These self-centered, radical, un-informed gaggles of individuals find irrigators and loggers a sporting target for their mindless drivel. I suspect the most difficult task they perform is deciding on what nice, sincere sounding name they can use to extort money from unsuspecting citizens to further their cause, whatever it may be at the time. It draws my contempt when they refer to themselves as conservation groups, when in reality, they don’t even understand the definition of conservation. For their sake, I will define it for them, “Conservation is the WISE USE of natural resources”, the key word being USE.

Environmental groups extol their virtues about saving the nation from the heathen farmer and his rape and pillage of the land, and in the same breath, file court injunctions to stop timber harvest of burned out forest land. These environmental terrorists and their frivolous lawsuits, which have so often blocked proper forest management, have directly resulted in untold thousands of acres of forest lands being destroyed by fire. Fortunately, much of the timber would be salvageable, and the timely harvest of this precious resource would be a WISE USE, yet they still insist on NO USE. Apparently they prefer to buy their wood products and food supplies from foreign nations, and be at their mercy. Little do they care that the imported food products have no safety precautions taken to ensure their untainted status as to the accepted levels of chemicals and pesticides allowed by the USDA in America. A little time spent reading any world history book, provided they can comprehend the material, would teach them how so many civilizations have failed when food supplies have dried up or been cut off. The planet Earth is inhabited by human beings, and the fact is they all must eat and have a place to live. We must protect and preserve what we can, but as our population grows, we must remember that all forms of agriculture in the United States are vital to our survival. Our nation is too great to be held hostage or at the mercy of another government because we have neglected our food producers. If you need to draw a comparison, just go to the service station and buy fuel. Need I say more?

For the past several years, groups whose nomenclature include catchy titles like natural resource councils, wilderness saviors, water for eternity, conservancies for nature, save the mountains, eco-restoration friends, clean air foundation, forest alliances, federations of the fish friends, son’s and daughters of mother earth and other philandering titles, continue to attack the wise use of the earth’s natural resources. The truth is they don’t want natural resources used at all. Their monetary resources have become so vast, their agenda so degraded, the normal landowner has lost any reasonable chance of defending the rational and wise use of nature’s resources to continue to produce food and fiber for America. Sadly it is the uninformed members of the public who send money to these honest sounding groups that help them impose their hidden agendas on the unsuspecting landowners. Truly, these groups are wolves disguised as sheep.

It is becoming more difficult to find the “good guys” whose knowledge and technical expertise can be welcomed and trusted by landowners. The local Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) or Resource Conservation District (RCD) in your area is a very safe and reliable place to begin your search for conservation information. They have the ability to work with many different agencies and organizations whose goal is to make a “WISE USE” of the natural resources, while at the same time providing unparalleled habitat for wildlife and fish. Many of the programs of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) and the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) are outstanding. They allow for the rational and beneficial use of your property in all regards. Great effort has gone into developing Agricultural Water Quality Management Area Plans in response to Oregon Agricultural Water Quality Act, commonly known as Senate Bill 1010. In addition to the afore listed organizations and agencies, there are groups of dedicated local landowners, businessmen and reputable conservationists who are committed to maintaining or in some cases improving water quality in your area. Collectively they comprise a Local Advisory Committee and actively work to prevent and control water pollution resulting from agricultural activities. They don’t suffer from diarrhea of the mouth like so many environmentalists; they roll up their sleeves and get the work done on the ground where it is wanted, needed and necessary.

Farmers, ranchers, foresters, and other private landowners have negotiated, litigated, mitigated, educated, legislated and even gone to meditation sessions in the hope of being allowed to produce food and fiber for America. In an attempt to quiet the vocal few who spend none of their own money, landowners have gone to great personal expense to satisfy the whim of these extremists, but it just isn’t enough. It has become very frustrating and alarming for agricultural producers. The patience, perseverance and great moral fiber of these men and women to not retaliate should be commended and applauded. These individuals should never have to defend their way of life. The value of what they produce speaks for itself.

I am very thankful and appreciative for my friends and neighbors in all forms of agriculture, who continue to produce safe and affordable food and fiber for my family to enjoy, while at the same time provide abundant wildlife and fish habitat for all species to enjoy. May God Bless each of them!