Lifting crude oil export ban fails the ‘farmer test’

The ban on exporting crude oil out of the United States was put in place in the 1970’s to protect consumers and support energy independence.

If the ban is lifted, American crude and natural gas will be sold to other countries, raising the price at our pumps. Fracking and drilling will increase, along with the side effects of earthquakes and risky wastewater injection wells leaking into groundwater. Transporting the product will require more trains and pipelines. Potential accidents and spills will endanger lives, land and water. 

{mosads}This does not pass the “farmer test.”

Nebraska provides quality education in its schools, colleges and universities.  But our state’s culture of “The Good Life” also provides an education that cannot be found in these institutions. That degree is in “common sense.”  The classrooms are in rural Nebraska; the best students are the farmers and ranchers.

Our parents and grandparents taught us that if we elected quality people to government, the politicians would look out for our interests. The farmers and ranchers could concentrate on raising food, fiber and children. 

But over the years, we have seen a paradigm shift where words and handshakes have transformed into the highest bidder winning whatever’s up for a vote.  Every decision that our government officials make somehow affects what we do in agriculture.

My litmus test is: “What would a farmer do?”

Lifting the oil ban will provide up to $170 billion in total revenue to Big Oil in the next 10 years.  In that same 10 years, domestic refining revenues could also drop by up to $200 billion, costing jobs.  It does not pass the “farmer test.”

Lifting the ban will also increase production as much as 2.9 million barrels per day. That is 453 million metric tons of additional carbon pollution per year. It is the same as 42 – 95 million passenger vehicles or 53 – 119 coal-fired power plants.  Once again, it does not pass the “farmer test.”

As of August 2015, over five million barrels of oil are imported every day — almost half of them from the Persian Gulf. This does not pass the “farmer test.”

The Paris climate talks show the urgency to severely limit our dependence on fossil fuels.  Farmers have met the challenge to do our part on climate change.  We produce significant quantities of clean renewable fuels. We sequester carbon by using no-till farming and planting cover crops.  We cut our own energy consumption and use the renewable fuels we grow.  Some of us have installed solar and wind energy to power our farms.  Some of us drive electric vehicles to save fossil fuels. This type of action passes the “farmer test.” Lifting the oil export ban does not.

Earlier this fall, a bill to repeal the crude oil export ban passed the House of Representatives and is now in committee in the Senate. Rather than following through with the regular process, a rider is being attached to the omnibus spending bill. This has become a common practice to pass legislation that would otherwise fail. No hearings or serious debate on the merits of the issue. 

Once again, Big Oil is deceiving the public.  It does not pass the “farmer test.”

Tanderup is a farmer from Neligh, Nebraska.