Groundsite Image Gallery
Testifying at Rural Unity Day
Artist: Jost, Lora
Date: 1999
Medium: mixed-media with embroidery
Height: 0.000"
Width: 0.000"
Keywords: politics
Quote (within artwork) taken from excerpts of Mike Callicrate’s testimony at Rural Unity Day, 1999: “Do you remember the company stores that followed Abraham Lincoln’s time?... Today we have those company stores working in America – it’s called Cargil, Conagra, ADM, IBP, Farmland, etc. Today Appalachia in America is spreading west across the great plains. Today, like in Appalachia, we have enormous poverty, devastating poverty among unlimited wealth—agriculture.... Last year 27% of our farmers had incomes below the poverty line, the largest sector of poverty in the United States. 86% of farm income last year was from off farm. Why has Kansas, so far, failed to recognize this dire crisis?... Today we have concentration at all time high levels. Four packers control over 80% of the beef market. They fix price - IBP sets the price, and the other packers simply follow. Mr. Thompson, we do not like Pat Roberts’ policy. We do not like his Freedom to Farm Bill. I was at a Senate Hearing when Mr. Roberts said, “The only thing that bothers me about concentration is my head cold.” What is he doing? Who is he working for? That is my question to him. There are term limits currently in Kansas, it’s called elections, and I hope he will keep that in mind.”