Statement of Missouri Farm Bureau President Charles Kruse on Passage of H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act

We are extremely disappointed with the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of H.R. 2454, also known as “cap-and-trade.”  Billed as landmark legislation for reducing the threat of man-induced global climate change, H.R. 2454 comes with a hefty price tag for our nation while it’s business as usual in China, India and other greenhouse gas-emitting countries.

Mandating carbon reductions through such a scheme is simply a tax on oil and coal and the businesses and industries using them.  For agriculture, the costs imposed on farmers and ranchers through higher gasoline, diesel, LP gas, nitrogen fertilizer and other inputs will outweigh potential financial benefits from selling carbon credits.

If Members of Congress are serious about moving away from foreign energy and to cleaner energy sources, they should start by allowing for the recovery of our own resources, namely oil and natural gas, and investing in clean coal technology and alternative and renewable energy.

We thank Representatives Blunt, Emerson, Graves, Akin and Luetkemeyer for voting against the legislation.  Our attention now turns to the U.S. Senate.