I was at the White House this week as a small group of industry leaders -- 24 to be exact -- met with President Bush, Dr. Larry Lindsey, the President's Chief Economic Advisor, and Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill. We were in the Roosevelt Room across the hall from the Oval Office.

President Bush thanked us for our support in helping to pass his tax cut. This was also an occasion to get a first hand understanding of the President's agenda and priorities. Larry Lindsey called the recently…

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180 days can make a big difference!! A lot has happened injust a few months. It was a marathon but George W. Bush was sworn in as President ofthe United States. Republicans by the slimmest of margins led the House and Senate only to see the Senate majority flip back to the Democrats. In the meantime, the biggest tax cut in 20 years passed the Congress and was signed by the President.

What does all of this mean to us?

1. The tax cut package with rate cuts and an end to the death tax, we…

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Hello everybody out there in farm country. The John Block radio commentary is brought to you by the Council for Bioteclmology Information.

What an interesting experience! Recently I visit the Monsanto experiment laboratories in Chesterfield, MO. I can report to you the world of biotechnology promises to be a world of wonder and unbelievable value to all of mankind -- not just fanners. For more information about biotech, visit the Council's web site at www.whybiotech.com.

And now for…

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Cows are headed for slaughter. Beef consumption has collapsed 40% in France. Beef is being yanked off the school lunch menu in Paris and Berlin. Mass hysteria seems to have a grip on all of Europe. The threat -- Mad Cow Disease.

Now I'm not here to say there is no threat or that precautions should not be taken but it seems that the European consumer overreacts to every little thing. And in fact, they really don't care to listen to the scientists and the risk statistics.

It is a fact that…

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Pick up the newspaper and sometimes a story will jump out at you that you can hardly believe. Just this week the Washington Post reports that a 300 pound pig flew first class from Philadelphia to Seattle. Yes, it's true! Two women signed up to transport the animal. It seems they needed help to get him aboard. A 300 pound pig is a big porker. If he didn't want to fly to Seattle, I think it would be hard to hog tie the belligerent flyer. ~

But fortunately, according to the story, he was…

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Oil prices have spiked up again. I'm sure we aren't going to tap the strategic oil reserve for any more oil now. The election will be behind us and there won't be any reason to open it up.

The point that we don't want to miss is that there is a very unique climate out there right now. A climate that is crying out for more of our own energy. Less dependence on foreign oil sources.

It's fine to talk about electric cars, etc. but let's be realistic. This nation nms on oil and coal and to a…

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Timing is everything. Federal regulators, for whatever reason, didn't get around to approving Starlink com for human consumption. Now we have a real mess. Kraft recalled millions of taco shells. Safeway had to do the same. Farmers are blaming the seed companies that sold Starelink for not making it clear to them that they had to segregate the grain from other genetically engineered corn variates.

Here's the situation. We are eating genetically engineered corn every day now. It is approved…

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I hope you are watching the Presidential debates. George W. Bush versus AI Gore -- head to head. I am surprised that Governor Bush has not spent more time hammering Gore on his cynical acceptance of millions of dollars from the Hollywood elite while they continue to poison the television, movies and music with filthy, trashy programming filled with violence. The intensity of violence makes the old cowboy and Indian shoot outs look like a Sunday picnic.

The Clinton-Gore Administration has…

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I pick up a big city newspaper and read the criticism of the generous support for farmers in this election year. Okay, I'll admit the support is generous. But to provide some balance to this evaluation of the situation, it might be worth taking inventory of other conditions working against the farmer.

Is your diesel fuel much more expensive? What about the LP gas drying your com? Just wait 'til you see the price tag for nitrogen fertilizer. The simple fact is the higher energy prices will…

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Say it isn't so! Not the PIK program again. Yes, that's what it is. This time for sugar. I really thought PIK (payment in kind) was history. But I guess not. We have too much sugar and with the loan rate where it is, it appears the sugar processors are going to forfeit at least 500,000 tons of sugar to the government. Secretary Glickman does not want the sugar. He already owns 125,000 tons. The sugar beet farmers are about to harvest another big crop. I introduce you to payment in kind. Give…

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