The American Farm Bureau Federation is pleased with a decision by Senate leadership last week to delay consideration of climate change legislation until the spring of 2010.

I talked with AFBF president Bob Stallman about that legislation and a number of other issues affecting agriculture during the recent National Association of Farm Broadcasting annual meeting. Stallman says they opposed the climate change bill that was passed by the House, despite provisions included that were beneficial to agriculture. “That bill we believe will downsize American agriculture by at least 20 percent,” he said. “Long term it reduces our ability to produce food.” Stallman says they disagree with USDA’s projections that climate change legislation will help agriculture. “We’re still asking USDA to explain how they come up with those numbers and we’re not getting an answer to that yet.” Stallman also comments on indirect land use change and health care, all issues that will likely be topics of discussion at the AFBF 91st annual meeting coming up January 10-13 in Seattle.

Stallman also comments on the importance of social media use for Farm Bureau and farmers in general. “These are new communications tools that are being rapidly adopted by society and we have to communicate with society. Even I have a Facebook page now!”

Listen to my interview with Bob here.