Previous Weeks
Forest Fires
August 8 2013
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by Monsanto, and John Deere. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
Just like we’ve seen in past summers, large wildfires are leading the evening news as big tracts of federal forests go up in smoke. Large fires are burning in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and elsewhere in the west. We’ve seen over 2.4 million…
How Lucky We Are
August 1 2013
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This is Rick Frank sitting in for John Block. This radio commentary is brought to you by Monsanto, and John Deere. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
August in Washington, D.C. – 100 degrees, 100 percent humidity…and I’m still grateful to be here. Have you seen the headlines lately? Syria: “100,000 dead; 2.5 million displaced; chemical…
Rabbit out of a Hat
July 25 2013
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by Monsanto, and John Deere. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
Have you ever been to a magic show and the magician pulls a rabbit out of a hat? All the kids cheer. What fun!
I read in the paper recently where the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulates bunny magicians. I never knew that, and I ran…
House Passes Farm Bill
July 18 2013
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by Monsanto, and John Deere. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
As I said last week, “I’m headed to the farm in Illinois.” I went to the farm twice in May, hoping we could get some corn planted. It rained both times. However, somehow, in between rains, we got it in the ground. Last week as…
Can We Get Anything Done?
July 11 2013
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by Monsanto, and John Deere. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
With a long 4th of July weekend, I spent a little more time reading the paper and getting updated on what is going on in our Capitol City and the world. I’m not surprised. The government can’t get anything done and the world is…
Locks, Dams, and Ports
July 4 2013
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by Monsanto, and John Deere. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
Another 4th of July has come and gone. We can all be grateful for our “Land of the Free and Home of the Brave.” We look to our leaders of our nation today to preserve it.
Before I focus on today’s priority issue, I want to…
Farm Bill, June 2013
June 27 2013
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by Monsanto, and John Deere. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
Last week, I said the farm bill was fighting its way to the finish line. Well, it didn’t make it. In a vote of 234 to 195, agriculture was dealt a stunning defeat.
What happened? Only 21 Democrats voted for the bill. …
Trade & More
June 20 2013
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by Monsanto, and John Deere. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
It’s official. It just turned summer this week. That’s what the calendar says. My corn and soybeans are all planted – just in time.
I picked up the Washington Post newspaper today and on the front page is this long article…
Farm Bill 2013
June 13 2013
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by Monsanto, and John Deere. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
Here we are again, trying to get a farm bill passed. We have been operating under an extension of the old bill for the last year. Since I served as Secretary of Agriculture, the Congress has passed a new farm bill every 5 years. Although…
GM Wheat and Smithfield Sale
June 6 2013
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by Monsanto, and John Deere. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
Japan and South Korea slammed the door on our wheat exports. Not because they were sent any bad wheat. Not because anyone got sick. Not because there is any risk to anyone. The reason is that we discovered a field of genetically modified…