Farmers and Tree Huggers Unite!
In 250 Words or Less
By Cecelia Sander
Yale Law School application

Missouri farmers tend to see environmentalists as the enemy. Yet despite undeniable differences, the two groups share some interests. Environmentalists basically want the earth to be healthy. Farmers depend on healthy soil and stable weather patterns for good crop yields. The two groups have different standards for a “healthy world” as the on-going conflict about pesticides demonstrates, but it is worth recognizing that on some fundamental level both groups have similar interests.
Whatever theoretical similarities the groups have, however, the practical issues on which they can agree are narrowly defined. Yet one of these, alternative energy sources, is an important topic in current American politics. Environmentalists want our economy to switch to “greener” energy sources. Missouri’s corn and soybean producers stand to gain economically from increased demand for ethanol.
Alone, environmentalists have trouble overcoming certain corporate business interests opposed to a radical new national energy policy. While farmers themselves are a numerically miniscule portion of the U.S. population, their intimate social and economic ties with small town America significantly enlarges the number of people who could be motivated to support an alternative energy resource plan if it promised to improve the lot of U.S. farmers. Even though ethanol would only be one of several alternatives in a comprehensive new national energy policy, both environmentalists and farmers stand to gain by prioritizing achieving a new energy policy over other fundamental differences in a temporary alliance.