A new poll released Thursday by the National Federation of Independent Business showed voters in Nebraska strongly opposed to a federal cap-and-trade system and believe it will lead to further job losses, higher energy costs and diminished economic growth.

“When it comes to our local and state economies, voters are well aware that policy decisions being made in Washington will have a major impact on our ability to preserve jobs, attract investment and improve our quality of life,” said Robert Hallstrom, state director of NFIB/Nebraska.

Hallstrom said that the prospect of mandating a federal cap-and-trade system, especially given our current economic situation, provides ample evidence to the adverse consequences such policies will have on small businesses, workers and consumers.

“Hopefully, these survey results will add a needed dose of sanity and force policymakers to address more urgent, local priorities, namely jobs and economic growth. As such, a federal cap-and-trade system is a non-starter,” he said.

Hallstrom said voters in Nebraska overwhelmingly listed the economy and jobs as the most important issues the country is currently facing. With respect to the potential impact of a federal cap-and-trade system, he said 36 percent of voters surveyed said they thought the cap-and-trade policy that some lawmakers are advocating would actually lead to fewer jobs, and 63 said it would lead to increased energy costs.

When it comes to political support of the issue, Hallstrom said 58 percent said they would be less likely to support a candidate who supported a federal cap-and-trade system.

Key highlights of the Nebraska voter poll include:

– 57 percent of voters oppose a federal cap-and-trade system while 33 percent are in favor of such a system. (10 percent don’t know/no answer)

– 36 percent of voters believe a federal cap-and-trade system would lead to more job losses while 25 percent believe it would have no effect and 27 percent believe it would create jobs. (12 percent don’t know/no answer)

– 63 percent of voters believe a federal cap-and-trade system would increase energy costs while 16 percent say it would have no effect and only 11 percent believe it would lower costs. (10 percent don’t know/no answer)

– 50 percent of voters believe a federal cap-and-trade system will limit economic growth while 20 percent say it will have no effect and 20 percent believe it will increase growth. (10 percent don’t know/no answer)

Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb., is co-sponsoring of a resolution disapproving of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) endangerment finding.

According to Johanns, the endangerment finding, finalized by EPA at the end of last year, concludes that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions should be regulated by EPA and motor vehicle emissions are contributing to global climate change. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is expected to file the resolution as early as today with more than 30 bipartisan cosponsors.

“EPA’s endangerment finding is bad for agriculture, bad for businesses and their employees, and bad for anyone who flips on a light switch,” Johanns said. “This Administration seems to think there is no limit to the government’s reach into the everyday lives of Americans. Congress writes the laws, and we need to act to stop EPA from imposing devastating regulations on Americans. This resolution is the first step in doing so.”

According to Johanns, supporters of the Obama-Pelosi cap-and-trade bill, passed in the House of Representatives last June, have cited potential EPA regulation as a reason to support the flawed legislation.

“I reject that thinking. Congress should not force the American people to step in front of a bus to avoid a freight train,” Johanns said.

Yesterday, more than 100 agricultural organizations, including several Nebraska groups, sent a letter to Senator Murkowski stating support for her resolution.

Livestock producers, who suffered losses during recent winter storms, are being encouraged to use the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) that provides assistance to livestock producers when losses are incurred as a result of harsh weather.

“I encourage all affected producers to report your losses to the Farm Services Agency ahead of the LIP deadline,” said Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb. “I was pleased to work with USDA to increase the accuracy of livestock compensation under this program last summer. Due to the recent winter storms and temperatures consistently below zero, producers have faced losses again this year. I want to ensure everyone is aware of the upcoming program payment deadlines.”

To be eligible for LIP for livestock losses suffered during 2009, livestock owners and contract growers must file a notice of loss no later than 30 calendar days from when the loss of livestock is apparent and must apply for payment no later than Jan. 30, 2010. Producers who experience a loss in 2010 are encouraged to report those losses to their county FSA office within 30 days of loss of livestock as well.

LIP provides payments to eligible livestock owners and contract growers who suffered eligible livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality as a direct result of adverse weather, including hurricanes, floods, blizzards, disease, wildfires and extreme heat and cold. Under LIP, which was authorized by the 2008 farm bill, producers are helped to recover from their losses stemming from 2008 and subsequent disasters.

He said NFU strongly believes a legislative solution, rather than EPA regulation, is the best means to address climate change.

Keith Dittrich, chairman of the Board of the American Corn Growers Association (ACGA), said cap and trade expands the market for farm production and will offer “historic opportunities from an economy that has an insatiable demand for energy.”

“By protecting the environment, it will also ensure that farmers will be able to meet the needs of feeding a growing world, not damage that ability as the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) recently stated,” Dittrich said.

While Dittrich said he understands that this legislation may potentially increase the cost of some energy products, he sees this as an investment for the future of America and stated that farmers “must understand that they should now consider themselves energy producers as well.”

Dittrich also scoffed at AFBF comments that cap and trade will downsize agriculture and the prediction that millions of acres of trees might be planted to capture a rising carbon market, stating that these “USDA predictions are most likely as inaccurate as the last Crop Production report” and that in fact farmers would be able to reap a new stream of income by sequestering carbon and trading permits.

“Farmers must decide to ‘wear the cap and trade their energy crops in for better prices’ which will happen as the country moves to a expanded renewable energy system coming from the farm,” he said.

While the American Corn Growers Association supports cap and trade, the National Corn Growers Association President Darrin Ihnen has released a statement Wednesday opposing the House legislation that was passed in June last year.

“Now, based on the recently completed economic analysis, NCGA has no choice but to oppose H.R. 2454,” Ihnen said. “The results of the Informa study indicates that every corn grower in the country will experience increased costs of production resulting from H.R. 2454. In the early years of this legislation, these higher production costs will be relatively minor. However, over time these prices will significantly increase, placing an unnecessary burden on growers.

He said that while the legislation offers opportunities to produce carbon offsets, “…this study demonstrates that not all growers will be able to participate.”

“The single greatest offset opportunity is using continuous no-till. However, not every corn grower is able to adopt no-till practices,” Ihnen said. “The ability to adopt continuous no-till production is driven by both economic and agronomic factors. Those growers unable to adopt no-till production will experience serious economic hardship resulting from H.R. 2454. This burden will fall disproportionately on growers in the northern Corn Belt.”

He also said the will result in diverting productive farmland into afforestation (newly planted forests) or perennial grasses solely to gain offset credits.