Thicke has new vision
by Lindsay Hoeppner · July 14, 2010

Francis Thicke has a new vision for food and agriculture.

The Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Democratic nominee, who holds a PhD in agronomy and soil science, operates an organic dairy farm near Fairfield.

“I see that we have some major challenges facing Iowa agriculture, and we’re not really addressing those challenges,” Thicke said during a stop in West Liberty last Thursday.

Thicke’s talking points came from a preliminary copy of his book, “A New Vision For Food and Agriculture: Agriculture After the Oil Crash,” which will be released on www.amazon.com this week.

Thicke said Iowa agriculture is highly dependent on cheap oil.

“Without cheap oil, we wouldn’t farm the way we farm,” he said. “The problem is, we’re at the end of the cheap oil era. We haven’t necessarily recognized it yet, or maybe we’re in denial, so we have to prepare for the future, where we can be more energy self-sufficient.”

Thicke said one solution could be utilizing mid-size wind turbines on farms statewide.

“Now, 20 percent of our electricity comes from wind, but it’s mostly in big wind farms in one corner of the state, but even there, when farmers have wind turbines on their farms, they still pay retail rates for their electricity,” he said. “If we put them on farms all across Iowa, not only would it mean farmers could get rid of their electrical bill, but it could serve as a profit center for farms.”

The addition of wind turbines statewide would create more jobs, said Thicke, as well as put more money in the pockets of farmers and rural communities.

Thicke’s other concern relating to energy deals with the state’s production of biofuels.

“Now, a farmer is producing corn for ethanol for cars going down the highway, but we’re not doing anything to secure the energy future for agriculture,” he said. “So, I’m calling for the development of the next generation of biofuels, and that is smaller scale and can be done on a local level, either by farmer cooperatives or on farms, so we can make bio oil from crops, and that way, the profit would stay closer to the farmer.”

In addition, Thicke is calling for a utilization of more perennial crops, like switch grass and other prairie grasses, that would provide coverage and protect the soil from erosion and nutrient loss.

“That’s a key part of the next generation of biofuels,” he said. “It’s more sustainable.”

Thicke said agriculture is becoming less and less profitable for farmers.

“Part of that reason is the corporations are increasing and monopolizing the markets,” he said. “Economists tell us if four corporations control 40 percent or more of a market, that market starts to act like a monopoly instead of a free market.”

Thicke said such monopolies need to be broken up.

“We need Teddy Roosevelt’s style of trust busting,” he said. “I’m looking for policies that will put more money in the pockets of farmers.”

Thicke, who is campaigning and promoting his new book statewide, will attempt to unseat incumbent Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey (R-Spirit Lake) in November’s general election.