SPEAK SOFTLY AND CARRY A BIG WHISTLE

A conversation with Senator Charles Grassley

BY COLE CHENEY

Speak softly and carry a big whistle. At least that's how the line goes for Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley. Reputed as the nation's premier whistleblower, the New Hartford-born congressman also serves as the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and holds a spot on Judiciary, Agricultural and Budgetary committees. Yet among his network of power, his demeanor resembles nothing short of Midwestern modesty. Though his kind smile and soft words don't point to success, his highlights include farm subsidy bills, perfect voting attendance and major gains in alternative energy legislation.

As environmental issues become more prevalent in commercial and federal discussions, Iowan anecdotes consistently rise to the surface. Ethanol, wind turbines and agricultural damage each weave their way through federal discussion. Some of these issues and forward steps can only be observed in Iowa. Leading talks of "green" energy, sustainability and, most of all, agricultural crisis, Grassley asserts himself as a senatorial advocate for many eco-friendly practices Iowans already embrace. While his agricultural record is nearly spotless, his environmental track has received scrutiny.

Up from a 10 percent rating last year, Grassley's now 33 percent approval rating from the League of Conservation Voters demonstrates his slow and upward trek to receiving a green stamp.

Last week, IowaGoGreen.com reporter Cole Cheney spoke with Grassley in a brief interview on "green" education, alternative energy and the recently passed farm bill introduced by the congressman.

Iowa recently passed the Iowa Core Curriculum, a list of topics that public school educators must teach. The mandate only slightly emphasized environmental issues. Since you are hailed as the "voice of agriculture", what steps are being taken, on the national level, to educate students on issues in the environment?

A: I tell ya what, I applaud the Iowa Legislature for at least including something about the environment. Not all states require that. Unfortunately, so many laws go through Iowa that I'm unable to keep up with some of the smaller things, but that is great to hear. That being said, I am probably more acquainted with environmental issues and agriculture in Iowa and the nation. There is one story that I love about Iowans and ag[riculture]: Over twenty years ago, an Iowan from O'Brien county went to California. Since moving there and up to today, he has been very instrumental in working with the California Farm Bureau. Simply because he loves the land and understands that we need to care for it, he promotes agriculture to the community through his Iowa roots. He has done a great job emphasizing the environment to non-farmers, telling them, "There will not be prosperous farmers and food if we don't each respect the environment."

This type of informal education is refreshingly common here in the Midwest. I know that in Iowa, there are many counties (like Butler, where I live) with programs that employ staff to speak to residents about measures that they can take to stay eco-friendly.

Having attended the University of Northern Iowa, a center for environmental education, do you feel that Americans learn enough about steps they can take to live "greener" lifestyles?

I believe that except for a small group of people, food is just food for the public. I don’t know if that group is 1 or 10 percent of the population, so I'll make this statement based on osmosis: I think that a very large percentage of American people just eat their food without thinking about the environment. There exists a great deal of ignorance about agriculture. There’s less ignorance about environmental issues because of the press about global warming and oil costs. These are important issues, but agriculture, the stuff that we eat, gets widely ignored.

After introducing the BREEZE act among other alternative energy legislation that received minor press, do you feel that the nation still remains ignorant of energy beyond fossil fuels?

In the legislature, we aren’t trying to treat ignorance. In our operation, we are setting up policy that is environmentally friendly. Most of us understand that there is only so much fossil fuel that God made. Alternative energy is good for the farmers, good for the environment and good for jobs in rural America. We make many of these bills not for the environment, but it benefits from them none-the-less and that makes the legislation that much more appealing.

With organic farming on the rise in the nation, how will your recent flood-farm bill affect the industry?

As far back as '95, there’s been a growing emphasis on organic. The bill was not set up to promote organic, but to level the playing field with other forms of agriculture. I support many forms of agriculture in the nation, just not one style more than another. Many people felt that there wasn’t enough attention given to the small organic industry. It wasn't so much a bias against the crops as a lack of recognition. The bill is to make sure that people who are interested in organics are treated with the same respect as people in the larger, non-organic sector.

This is, by the way, the third farm bill that emphasizes organic[s]. Two years ago, specialty farmers like organic growers had no safety net during bad times. I think that through this latest organic bill, which aids the food stamp program and farmers markets, farmers producing specialty crops will be able to cultivate a greater growth of fruits and vegetables. Beyond that, we've also helped set up "the hot lunch or snack program" that provides alternative, organic and healthy fruits in many schools.

How has being an Iowan influenced your perceptions of our environment?

I believe without a doubt that if I lived in New York City, I’d be ignorant about agriculture. I’d think that milk comes from cartons, not cows, and food grows in super markets. Every day that I’m in congress, I’ll be educating the entire legislature about issues that seem distant but affect the meals we eat every single day.