Arkansas Blog

Max, I think you are great and so is Judge Wilson. I don't know much about farming, but I feel that we need to keep farm land in production or we will be in big trouble in the future. It will be hard to grow things like the soybeans and corn we will need for bio-fuels if we don't have irrigation. America needs food security. We can lose it just like we lost energy security. A friend of mine read the opinion of Judge Wilson and said the Judge ruled in favor of the Grand Prairie project on the big issue of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). I am glad that Judge Wilson wants to help the IBW. I just hope that someone in a position of power will realize that unless Arkansas stops the pumping of the Sparta Aquifer for other than drinking water purposes, we will have more problems like Deltic Timber and Central Arkansas Water. Keep asking questions and keep an open mind.

$2,000 per acre is cheap - under valued by about $500-$1,000 per acre. Wait until inflation catches up with it. However, you may find quite a bit available for 2 K if fuel prices continue to increase and water becomes limited.

Agriculture in Arkansas has progressed to the point that water for irrigation is a must. Your crop, be it hay, corn, soybean, rice or the vegetable crops actually wither and die for the lack of water. Believe it or not we are in a three to four year drought in most of the state.

The banker won't talk to you about a loan unless irrigation water is available.

The presentations I have observed on the project show it to be very sensitive to the environment. Compared to some of the wild and weak excuses to rape the environment in other parts to the US, the Grand Prairie project is an environment poster child.

This is obscene corporate welfare - draining a public resource to create wealth for a few farmers. They pissed away their water and now they want more. The project was immoral from the beginning, but it shows just how socialistic we can get. Next, I expect they'll be assessing us a farmer surcharge on our taxes to pay for the losses they're taking on duck hunting.

I too think farming is important to our state, but this water issue has been around for decades. Unfortunately, those depleting the aquifiers for irrigation have done so with little regard for the not-so-renenwable resource despite warnings going back 60 years.

The answer goes much deeper than this. The cold hard fact is that farming can no longer be the exclsuive economic generator in east Arkansas. There is too little water, too many mouths to feed and no one willing to address the difficult questions.

It's hard for me to muster up a lot of sympathy given the warnings mentioned above, then watch billions of dollars go into the pockets of farmers for marginal production. Yes, I know there's more to it, but when the rest of us face commercial and industrial issues with supply in our businesses, we start looking for solutions. When those solutions are not viable, or they become short-term fixes that threaten others, we start looking for other jobs.

Arkansas' rice and soybean production is huge. Pulling some of these areas out of production appears to be an option that should be discussed. Not that it ever will, however. The power of the farming indsutry in Washington and at the State Capitol is even bigger. Our congressional delegation and state lawmakers would rather keep the status quo and cash the PAC checks.

When the project is complete, and I think we all know it will one day, it will be a great loss for Arkansas. Despite what "professionals" say, this will have a major impact on the ecosystem. And the word "demonstration" is not in there by mistake. Proponents will use this project as a shining example going forward. Future generations will see these pumping stations up and down the river.

Kudos to Bill Wilson. Kudos to Max. And I agree, keep asking questions.

I have a great idea. Let's just stop everything and see what happens to east Arkansas. This would not be not pretty, but until people understand how to value water, and that it is not just
about the farmers, I don't see how to get citizens to pay attention. The IBW is important, but so are people and jobs. Why has the Ark Gen Assembly not done their job to stop the maddness regarding the Sparta Aquifer? Or do they just care for about the Little Rock systems? Oh, one more thing, I read that National Wildlife, the Corps and US Fish and Wildlife all agreed in the lawsuit that the "bird" is real. Wow!! They seem to be the only parties that agree about that.

Is it true that Arkansas law allows unlimited pumping out of the Sparta? I have heard this. If it is, that is crazy. Where is the state on this issue? Hard to blame just the farmers if there is no other options for them but to go broke. Keep asking questions.

The solution is to phase out the crops that have high water demand and replace them with other crops. Farms and municipalities are competing for the increasingly depleting aquifer waters. Farmer take notice - Which have the most votes?
If the farms, family and corporate, do not recognize this crisis, they will be without a future.

Hey Jim, just what crops are available that we can trade and do alt fuels with that don't need irrigation? I have already heard Bush talk about switch grass and hay, but that is so last century. It seems everyone tonight is trying to make this issue too easy. I think it will be hard and all sides will have to make changes. My dad knows you and thinks you are a good guy. Oh, and just so you don't think I am a "hater," I think that you should be allowed to follow the same standard that Rod Bryan used to get on the ballot. Good Luck.

If anyone has been to central Kansas lately, they know that the Arkansas River is almost non-existent in that area. Fifty years ago, it was a nice little river up there. Now it's a tiny creek flowing -- flowing most of the time, that is -- through a fairly deep river bed. Why? Excessive irrigation upstream depleted the aquifer which fed the river.
And the Colorado River no longer reaches the Gulf of California as a result of dams and excess pressure on this water resource.
No doubt there are many similar examples, but we go merrily into the future looking for other water sources to rape. When they are gone, then what? Food security need not be an issue in this country. In spite of payments to farmers to let marginal land lie fallow, we still raise excessive amounts of our "factory" crops and the federal government supports this idiocy. We do not have a well-thought-out farm policy, or as far as that goes, any type of well-thought-out policy anywhere in government, as far as I can see.
I've always wondered what the future might hold and wanted to stay around as long as possible to see. Now? Oh, I still want to stay around a good long time, but I'm not quite as sure I want to see what the future holds for us, not if we continue in our foolish ways.

Jim,

Make us a promise to get rid of Randy Young and I'll promise you my vote today.

Doigotta:

You are right, we don't have a well thought out farm policy. But you need to look at what is happening to food production worldwide now. We are on the path to creating the same situation with food production that has lead to the Ivory Bill being so rare. I don't know everything about water issues, but I do know that it is usually a good idea not to compare one area (Kansas) with another(Arkansas) when dealing with water issues. Like politics, water is very local. Kansas does not have the same rainfall as Arkansas( Arkansas has much more). I like your basic thoughts about farm policy, but this is more water policy than farm policy in my opinion.. Everyone seems to underplay the drinking water side and the fact that we are losing farm ground all the time. Like it has been said before, "Keep asking questions and keep an open mind." Thanks Max. The Times is providing a real service.

Wait. There is something wrong here. Where is Drew Pritt on this issue?? Are we sure he is ok?

"I have a great idea. Let's just stop everything and see what happens to east Arkansas. "

"This is obscene corporate welfare - draining a public resource to create wealth for a few farmers."

Sounds like sour grapes. This is also not a lot unlike what is going on in other professions.

Who are you really hurting with that approach. For the eastern part of the state, or any part for that matter, they have to make money - believe it or not from agriculture.

Now where do those people spend their money. Most of the little towns in the Delta have dried and almost blown (some actually have in the past 25 years). So everyone has to go to a larger town or a city such as Little Rock to spend their money - if they don't have money they cannot use your doctors, buy your services or products. In fact, didn't I see something not too long ago were a rather nice hunk of public change was made available to attract visitors to LR. We pay your way now with an extra tax on your services.

I do not see any difference between a rich farmer and a rich lawyer, doctor, banker, and so. Who the hell are these people building 2-500, 000 houses all over the hills of Arkansas and where did they get their money.

"what crops are available that we can trade and do alt fuels with that don't need irrigation?"

Rod Bryan has spoken to this issue since he decided to run for office last year. Look on his website - he touts "kenaf" which requires less pesticide use and a lot less irrigation than rice. Kenaf has a number of uses - from paper (the pith is light enough no bleaching is required - good news for soil and ground water) to car door insulation and everything in between. Rod is also a proponent of industrial hemp, which is a food source, clothing, etc. The list goes on and on. Hemp requires even less water & pesticide use than kenaf.