A life of simple living and giving
(Author's note: The following column was first published the week of Christmas 1998. Now, by tradition, it returns. Merry Christmas. --Alan) The Christmas tree...
Credit crunch crunching markets
If recent conversations with elevator managers and farmers are even slightly predictive, it's gonna be a long, cold winter in corn and soybean country...
‘Twas the bailout before Christmas
Before ya'll go gettin' cheery-cheeked and weepy-eyed for Christmas, Old Scrooge here has some sour facts that will be waitin' for you on the...
Rural Americans way ahead of leaders
In a brief presentation to some 250 or so farm and small town members of Iowa mutual insurance companies Nov. 17, I asked for...
Elections do matter to everyone
Whoever said elections don't matter was either a royalist or a royal idiot. Of course elections matter. For proof, ask Robin Hayes, Marilyn Musgrave,...
Time to re-examine, re-invent
One of the more astute observations on the role of government in farm policy ever uttered was offered by then-congressman, later (from 1991-93) secretary...
Ah November …
Somehow, some way, 700 became the number the month of October revolved around.
The stage was set Sept. 29 when the Dow Jones Industrial...
Doha? No really …
If you list the top 100 things President George W. Bush will complete before noon Jan. 20, the World Trade Organization’s Doha Development Round...
At least agriculture pays dividends
Call it coincidence, serendipity, interstellar planetary alignment, whatever, but two events Oct. 13 proved again economics is the most refreshingly maddening subject (I cannot...
Presidential election: We are deep into the rabbit hole now
When moderator Jim Lehrer asked presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama Sept. 29 what budget 'priorities' each would 'adjust' because of the pending...
