Letter to the Editor: Buddy Hemric

In them ol' cotton fields ... wait a minute, thar ain't no cotton fields!

All the fields around here used to be white with cotton. How come they are planted in soybeans? It's a simple fact, folks. Our good government cut out its subsidy for cotton. As long as McLain Farms was getting a check from good old Uncle Sam all these fields were planted in cotton.

According to Environmental Working Group's (EWG) Web site, McLain Beef & Grain received $399,775 of taxpayer money for growing cotton. The federal government cut this handout program. Look around folks, thar ain't no cotton! The McLains did receive $240,671 for growing soybeans.

The McLains had to find another government program to finance their operation. The 2005 Energy Bill provides that source of taxpayers money. Subtitle A section 301 provides that source. My understanding of that section says a small manufacturer of biodiesel fuel can get $1 per gallon of fuel produced, plus 10 cents per gallon tax credit. So, the McLains, who operate off the taxpayers, are jumping on this new bandwagon.

The McLains' reasoning for putting their biodiesel plant on Snow Creek Road is they could not afford to build it on an industrial site. From 1995-2005 McLain Beef & Grain received $2,242,572 from the federal government (taxpayers). With this much money, you would think they could afford a small industrial site.

Hey, I'll bet if the McLains ask our generous county commissioners, they will give them a tax incentive to build it on such a site.

The dollar figures I quote came from EWG/farms.org and the biodiesel search engine. Check it out for yourself.

Buddy Hemric
Statesville