Originally published in American Bee Journal, Vol. 135, No. 4, p. 239.

The changeover to the Republican majority in Washington is a true revolution, according to Dr. Ron Knutson of Texas A & M University. In a presentation to the American Beekeeping Federation in Austin, January 18, Dr. Knutson said the shift in leadership will showup in both the Senate and House sides. Whereas in the Senate, the whole Agriculture Committee sets policy, in the House this is done mostly at the subcommittee. And both groups have radically changed. Most members, especially those on the critical House subcommittee, now called Risk Management and Specialty crops, need to be educated from the ground up on agricultural and beekeeping matters, Dr. Knutson concluded. This is especially important as the 1995 Farm Bill makes it way through the legislature. Dr. Knutson, therefore, strongly suggested those with members in their state get busy informing critical congressional aids about bees and beekeeping.

Changes in government Dr. Knutson said in his address: “Policy Decision-Making in Washington, D.C.--Do They Really Know Beekeepers and Beekeeping?,” will be driven by radical shifts in policy to bring government spending under control by some 200 billion dollars the first year and 500 billion the second. This will be reflected in a reduced regulatory agenda and cuts in food stamps and farm subsidies. The major philosophic change will be from government intervention in markets to a more market-driven system. Dr. Knutson said the election could be considered a victory for private property and the winners will be taxpayers, property rights advocates and international business. The losers, he said, are environmentalists, welfare recipients, bureaucrats and some farmers.

How hard individual growers are hit will very much depend on the kind of farming one does, Dr. Knutson concluded. In all probably wheat producers will be worse off because they need subsidies (to keep wheat land in the government-controlled retirement program) more than corn and soybean growers who are well served by a more market oriented approach.

Considerations affecting agriculturists, Dr. Knutson said, will also be driven by other factors. One is whether or not the President can keep middle management appointees in the Agriculture Department from “bailing out.” If the degree of infighting can be minimized and strong leadership is exerted at the top, things will be better for all concerned. The changes will even affect the International Trade Commission which is considered independent, but nevertheless is subject to political influence and has its decisions tempered by U.S. foreign policy.

The bottom line besides contacting committee members, Dr. Knutson said, is for the beekeeping industry to do three things:

1. Cooperate and speak with a common voice. There is strength in numbers and a house divided is a certain recipe for political impotence.

2. Build a factual basis for any requests. Numbers will be necessary to convince anyone in the new Congress about any issue, and the facts must be unequivocal, if any progress is to be made.

3. Find as many political allies as possible. This may mean searching in unlikely places. The possibilities include farm organizations, environmentalist groups, and food safety and assistance advocates.