It took winter awhile to get here, but it did come. Even global warming couldn't hold it back.

In fact, the global warming fanatics have a big head of steam. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that "there is a 90% probability that human activity is warming the earth." However, it's also true that there are many highly respected scientists that don't agree with that.

It's time we get realistic about this. Let's examine some facts. Throughout the history of the earth,…

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I was on my Illinois farm this past week and had the privilege of speaking to the Knox County Farm Bureau. It was so much fun to see so many familiar faces of Farm Bureau comrades that I had worked with some 30 or 40 years ago.

It's no surprise to you, I'm sure, but the mood is up beat -- excited about $3 corn and a brighter future.

The President wants to reduce gasoline usage by 20 percent in the next 10 years. "Ethanol to the rescue."…

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The St. Louis Post Dispatch quotes a mother buying milk. Here's what she has to say: "I'm not sure what it is, but I think it's bad."

So, what is so bad? Milk from cows that receive a supplement called bST that increases their milk production. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1993. We've already been drinking the milk for 13 years with no ill effects. The milk from a cow that is given the supplement is identical to the milk from a cow that does not receive the…

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For more than 20 years, we have had a Holiday Luncheon for Cabinet members. It started in the Reagan Administration. Only 6 of us attended the first one in 1982, including Vice President Bush. The tradition has continued and grown over the years. We now invite all current and former Cabinet members -- both parties.

This past Holiday season, 42 Cabinet members enjoyed a festive lunch at the historic Blair House. In years past, we have had members…

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The Ag industry from the farmer to the consumer is under assault. The seriousness ofthe situation is just now becoming obvious. A six-state raid on a major U.S. meat packer has sounded the alarm. 1300 employees were arrested. The work disruption cost Swift & Co. $30 million. Dairy and vegetable farmers in Western New York are operating in a climate ofconstant fear. Will their farm be the next to be raided? The workers are afraid ofwhat will happen to them.…

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We are going to have another food fight. I knew it would be just a matter of time from the day that Dolly made the headlines. Now, the Food and Drug Administration released a 678-page analysis concluding that milk and meat from cloned animals is safe to eat. No risk. Drink it down. Stick a fork in it. Steven F. Sundlof, FDA's Chief ofVeterinary Medicine, said, "There's just not anything there that is conceivably hazardous to public health."

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We all know that the beginning of a new year is the time to make some resolutions to guide us in how we want to live the new year. You can't look ahead without reflecting back.

As I look back, I am grateful to live in the United States of America and for the goodness that our country stands for. That gratitude is only magnified as we fight the terrorists and try to safeguard our country.

When I reflect on the past, I think ofmy mother and father and the sacrifices they made and the values…

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My thoughts as I stand in the field south ofthe bam and look out across the horizons. What can we expect in 2007 What did we get done in 2006?

To begin, we had an ,election and the Democratic Party will control both House and Senate next year. That is a big switch. However, many of the Democrats that kicked out the 30 or so Republicans are as conservative as the Republicans they beat. Half of the new members can be classified as 'Blue Dog" Democrats.…

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Sometimes the inaction of the U.S. Congress just makes you want to pull your hair out. Haven't we been shocked with skyrocketing energy prices? The Middle East is a power keg ready to explode. How much confidence do we have in our good buddy Hugo Chavez in Venezuela to be a reliable supplier? I thought energy security was a national priority.

It is exciting to see the emphasis on biofuels. We gotta love it. But the problem is bigger than biofuels.

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Farm bills are not written in a vacuum. They are a product of their time. And the 2007 farm bill will be a product of the most different time in my memory.

We have a budget deficit pushing us to cut spending. The big city papers rant about the "obscene" cost of farm programs.

The World Trade Organization finds that our program "distorts world markets."

There is a global rush to increase energy supplies. We are committed to …

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