Emerson Farm Tour wraps up final day with visit to area

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson visits the henhouse with owner Gerry Jones today at Jones Heritage Farms near Jackson. (Fred Lynch) [Click to enlarge]

Started by her late husband Bill Emerson, the annual Emerson Farm Tour is intended to update her on agricultural trends in the area, helping her make decisions regarding agricultural issues, she said.

"This is where I get input from those experienced in this field," Emerson said Monday during a stop at the Jones Heritage Farms near Jackson. "Not growing up on a farm myself, I have to listen to those who are up to date on the latest agricultural methods."

Since the tour began Wednesday, Emerson has visited a sod farm, cow and calf ranch, food pantry, buffalo ranch, winery and miniature horse farm. Emerson visited the Edward Dement Soybean Farm in Sikeston, Mo., for a look at corn, cotton and soybeans, the Jones Heritage Farms to learn more about organic agriculture and the Patton Junction Livestock Barn in Sedgwickville, Mo., for a tour of the livestock auction barn.

Emerson serves on the agriculture subcommittee of the House appropriations committee. She said the cap-and-trade bill has been a common topic of discussion throughout the four-day tour.

Cap-and-trade is the common name for a policy that would place a limit on pollutants emitted. Businesses or other groups under the limit would be able to sell excess allowances to companies that produce more pollution.

If passed, the bill would hurt the agricultural community, Emerson said.

"I'm afraid it will cause input costs to go up so substantially that some might not farm anymore," she said.

Southeast Missouri State University economics professor Dr. Bruce Domazlicky said the cost of electricity could rise because coal-fired utilities are among the worst offenders in the release of carbon dioxide. They would pay the most to acquire more allowances to release carbon dioxide or reduce their emissions through pollution abatement efforts.

"Farmers would be affected because they use a lot of machinery that releases considerable amounts of carbon dioxide," Domazlicky said. "So farmers are concerned that the cost to them could be significant."

However, Domazlicky said, the cost could be minimal to the average American.

"The Congressional Budget office has estimated that the cost of the cap-and-trade bill winding its way through Congress would be about $22 billion a year by 2020, not really too much for a $14 trillion economy at about $175 per household," Domazlicky said. "However, some sectors will be affected more than others, depending on the amount of carbon dioxide they release."

bblackwell@semissourian.com

388-3628

Pertinent address:

5739 Route W, Jackson, MO

VIDEO

Jo Ann Emerson visits Jones Heritage Farms