Editor’s Commentary: A story from Oregon caught my attention because of its focus on diesel fuel and the energy crisis, but by the second paragraph I realized the bigger part of the story was the attack happening to our food supply. At a time when eggs, milk, butter, beef, and chicken products are becoming scarcer and more expensive, Democrats think it’s wise to place a moratorium on new and existing dairy and poultry farms.
Seriously.
For over a year we’ve been ringing the alarm bell about the inconceivable attacks on our food supply being done in the name of climate change. From the World Economic Forum’s goals of eliminating farms to Bill Gates’ intentions of forcing lab-grown meat on us, it’s clear American leftists and worldwide globalists are aligned against us to take complete control of the food supply.
This is the biggest reason we launched the only company in America that offers both frozen AND freeze-dried American beef in the same packages. The people want to eat steaks and other beef meals today, but it behooves us all to stock up on long-term storage beef as well. That’s why we launched Whole Cows (use promo code “nocrickets” for 15% off).
Here’s the article by Scottie Barnes from our premium news partners at The Epoch Times. The focus of the article is on the energy crisis which goes hand-in-hand with the food crisis. But pay special attention to what Democrats are trying to do to farmers and ranchers in our nation. This is The Great Reset unfolding before our eyes.
Critics Blast Oregon’s Efforts to Phase Out Petroleum Diesel and Restrict Farming
A series of climate bills now before the Oregon legislature could devastate rural communities and further fuel inflation, according to detractors.
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The bills would phase out petroleum-based diesel fuel, levy sweeping new taxes on tires and off-road agriculture equipment, and place a moratorium on new and existing dairy and poultry farms, the majority of which are family owned and operated.
The farm moratorium “would magnify the strain on our food supply chain and further drive up costs for milk, chicken, eggs, beef, and pork,” wrote Republican state Rep. Cyrus Javadi, whose district on the northern Oregon coast has a timber, agriculture and dairy-based economy.
“Without diesel, we can’t provide the lumber and materials necessary to meet Governor Kotek’s homeless state of emergency declaration to build 30,000 new homes,” testified Angelita Sanchez before the Committee of Environment and Energy on March 9. Sanchez is co-director of Timber Unity, a natural resources PAC with 60,000 members.
If these policies are enacted, she fears they will create a break in the supply chain while raising the cost of goods and services to astronomical levels.
If It Moves, Tax It!
House Bill 3158, the “Clean Diesel Engine Tax” would levy a suite of new taxes on off-road machinery, such as that used in farming and logging.
Taxes would apply to sales and rentals of off-road machinery, tires, and the dyed diesel fuel used to power farm and other heavy equipment.
The bill also includes a “privilege tax” for engaging in the business of providing off-road diesel equipment and heavy duty vehicles.
The Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB) opposes HB3158 because it taxes “virtually every piece of equipment” that’s used in agriculture, as well as the fuel and tires needed to run it, at a time of rising inflation and other financial stressors.
It also burdens rural businesses with the cost of retrofitting trucks in the state’s largest metropolitan area, according to OFB.
Revenues from the tax would transfer to the “Clean Diesel Engine Fund.”
That fund provides grants to retrofit trucks to run on the new “green diesel” or biodiesel, which is required as part of Portland’s plan to phase out the sale of petroleum-based diesel.
Starting in 2024, petroleum diesel available for sale in Portland will be blended with renewable fuels at increasingly higher increments, until 99 percent of the petroleum content is phased out by 2030. The new blend will be called R99. Keeping one percent maintains federal tax credits for blenders and wholesalers.
Light and medium-duty trucks around Portland must be retrofitted to run the new green blend for owners to be able to renew their title and registration.
Until now, retrofit grants have been covered by $73 million from Volkswagen, which agreed to pay state governments $2.9 billion to resolve litigation over the auto company’s emissions violations.
However, the amount requested for upgrades now surpasses the money Oregon has remaining from that deal. That has lawmakers considering new sources of funding.
“Rural communities are not responsible for Portland’s air quality, but HB 3158 puts that responsibility squarely, and inappropriately, on the backs of our members,” the Farm Bureau said in submitted testimony.
Out With Petroleum-Based Diesel
Oregon’s SB 803 would essentially expand Portland’s petroleum-based diesel phase-out to the rest of the state.
Portland announced in December 2022 that it would become the first city in the nation to phase out the sale of petroleum-based diesel, calling it the first major step to reduce carbon emissions by 50 percent under the city’s “climate emergency plan.”
Opponents do not want to emulate Portland.
They claim the transition would raise the cost of fuel to the point it would be financially unsustainable for many farm and ranch families, hitting rural and low-income Oregonians the hardest.
“Petroleum-based Diesel runs 90 percent of commercial activity, including electric charging stations, lithium mining equipment, and the generators that provide emergency power backup to our hospitals,” testified Sanchez.
“Renewable diesel is not ready to replace that source.”
“To make the bio-diesel that Oregon needs each year would take nearly 13.8 million acres of farmland, but the state only has about 16 million acres of tillable soil,” testified Cody White, owner of White’s Hauling and Farm, which operates 40 semi-trucks.
Growing crops such as soybeans for biofuel could also displace food production acreage at a time when food security is a great concern, he explained.
Because Oregon does not produce soybeans, the state would be dependent on bio-diesel from other states.
With other states enacting similar restrictions on petroleum-based diesel, Oregon would be competing with California, New York, Washington, and Canada to purchase a limited supply of biofuels, Sanchez told The Epoch Times.
It would also be competing with China, which is the world’s largest soybean importer, accounting for nearly 60 percent of global trade and half of U.S. soybean export value.
“Meanwhile, 30 percent of all diesel rigs already meet emission standards and that number will grow as the market expands,” Sanchez said.
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The Future of Farming
Meanwhile Senate Bill 85, the “Relating to Confined Animal Feeding Operations” bill would place a moratorium on new permits for farm operations” with more than 2,500 dairy cows and more than 125,000 chickens
The bill comes in response to a growing number of large operations proposed in the Willamette Valley near the Santiam River and concerns about pollutants and water use. It calls for an eight-year moratorium until the state studies the environmental, social, and public health impacts of such operations.
Nearly 700 environmental advocates, farmers and representatives from industry testified in person or in writing at a March 6 Senate Committee on Natural Resources hearing to express their opposition or support for the bill.
“This legislation would only accelerate the loss of family farms and local food production, killing jobs and businesses. As a result, Oregon would have to rely more on out-of-state livestock products,” Javadi wrote in his testimony.
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Farmers with dozens to hundreds of animals shared their concerns about the future of livestock production in the state and its effect on the economy.
Nearly all raise chickens or cows for meat or milk products.
Large operators said they were forced to acquire more animals and land to pay for ever more taxes and fees and abide by regulations to compete in an industry controlled by multinational corporations.
Smaller operators talked about the impact to rural communities when a handful of large operators take over, driving up land prices and consuming limited water resources.
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“We have slowly forced agricultural operations to get larger to survive. Yet now we’re here talking about limiting how big a farm can get or how many animals we think are appropriate,” testified Greg Addington, director of the OFB.
Eight lawmakers, including two Democrats in support of the bill and six Republicans opposed, spoke at the hearing.
State Sen. Suzanne Weber, a Republican, said halting new large operations and expansions for eight years would close many businesses in her district.
With at least 20 percent of the state’s industrial animal operations in his district, Republican State Sen. Lynn Findley, said the bill would be an economic disaster for his constituents.
Meanwhile, these bills continue to wend their way through Oregon’s legislature.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
