In 2012 Ohio, Farmers are hurting. Changes in the climate are most likely the culprit. And farmers are making sure that their voice is heard.
Upon researching ways that the cities and state of Ohio were working to address climate change, I wanted to look for something that addressed a big picture issue. As a POLI SCI student, I'm very interested in the big picture as per how things work the way that they do, why they work that way, who is behind it all, and who benefits from it. With all that in mind, I was able to find a great group that has been pressing - and succeeding - the issue of climate change. Farmers.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/08/22/723751/ohio-farmers-work-to-keep-climate-change-on-the-agenda-the-drought-moved-the-needle/?mobile=nc
Ohio is a unique state. Its cities are industrial and for the most part, fairly successful. Its countryside is predominately agricultural, and as such, the state politicians of Ohio have a great responsibility and self interest in hearing and catering to the problems of farmers. In 2012, crops in Ohio were expected to be down 29% and in some cases, "farmers are seeing yields 60% below last year". This is a huge problem for Ohio's economy and the well being of thousands of Ohioans. That's a number that cannot be ignored.
However, as Ohio Governor Kasich has said, "This is an unpopular view" - at least among the conservative political elite as well as the far right leaning demographics. The good news however is, Kasich is one of many Ohio politicians who have reached a tipping point, going so far as to admit publicly that there is in fact a problem with our climate. This change in policy has been brought on by both incessant lobbying efforts on the side of environmentalists as well as common people experiencing a very real and very clear threat to their well being. Without the backing of public opinion, the efforts of environmental lobbyists would mean very little and this is a big step forward for the climate change movement in Ohio.
One can argue numbers as much as they want, however people can no longer deny visible evidence of changing climate patterns. Heavy rains have increased over 40% in the past years, while overall rainfall has diminished - and drought has increased. Combine these two facts, and any farmer will tell you, this is a loosing combination.
As popular opinion is quickly changing among the critical and valuable (and traditionally) conservative voting block of farmers - the political climate is still not yet ready. big donars like the Ohio Coal Industry is the 800 pound gorilla in the room. However, there is now another 800 pound beast in that same room staring it back in the face - and that is the changing climate.
Are these efforts enough though?
The short answer is no. The longer answer is nooooooo. Public opinion must grow on itself and reach very high levels before it can challenge big industries such as Coal and Oil on the political battlefield. Education and awareness are the right ways to go, and while they are slow to spread, they are a reliable and steady way of gaining support among Ohioans. Eventually it will reach a point where politicians will not be able to ignore the overwhelming public opinion. Farmers are a very important part of Ohio's voice, and they will be heard.
At the same time, environmental groups, firms, and lobbys need to work With farmers to unite them on one front in favor of climate change. Even if the tide of public opinion shifts in favor of the cause, if it is not united, then it might as well not be there at all. There is certainly work left to be done, but the past two years have given new hope to this issue. Just maybe, we'll see some real effort into both change and progress that all of us will be better off for.
Here are more articles that highlight the growing change of opinion among rural Americans on the issue of Climate Change:
http://www.resilience.org/stories/2013-04-08/farmers-respond-to-climate-change
http://leanforward.msnbc.com/_news/2012/07/22/12887436-how-climate-change-is-affecting-one-ohio-farm-this-summer?lite
No comments:
Post a Comment