Opinion

To the editor:The American farmer is the immortal champion. We all depend on the farmer for our food life, perhaps more than we depend on anyone else in life. The American farmer is the most intelligent, strong, virtuous and dedicated hero. He knows the land, the weather, and the forces of nature, and applies his genius to miraculously create food and defeat all the interfering negative forces. He may have to ...

To the editor:I am very opposed to the proposed Heartland Project because it will be toxic to our community, creating ill health, loss of jobs, and loss of property value. Our town and community will decline in every way.It is too close to a town or populated area. ? Pam Emmer, Fairfield

To the editor:How often does a town like Fairfield have a four lane highway bypass its city limits creating the possibility of new development at three different entry points?Given the unique opportunity this has presented, it makes sense to seriously consider the effect of the placement of Heartland Grain at the eastern corridor of our city. Yes, this would be a form of economic development, but with only a ...

To the editor:As a local business and agricultural organization the Jefferson County Farm Bureau would like to express our strong support for the Heartland Co-op project for Jefferson County.We feel this project is a benefit to Jefferson County, Fairfield and agriculture. Agriculture is the foundation of Iowa?s economy and we support this project because it is a way to service the agricultural community while ...

To the editor:Neighbors who want to live in harmony talk to each other when they're planning something that might be a problem for their neighbor. They discuss the situation, and look for a win-win solution that makes everyone happy. This is common decency. Heartland Co-op's attitude and tactics show a flagrant disrespect for their neighbors and the citizens of Fairfield.The reason Heartland has chosen to be ...

To the editor:As a Jefferson County property owner and taxpayer, I am writing today to voice my concerns about the county government's involvement, particularly in the form of Tax Increment Financing, in the proposed Heartland grain elevator project. I am extremely concerned about a number of issues and do not feel there has been enough disclosure on the part of Heartland Co-op as to the scope and true cost of ...

To the editor:On June 22, 2005, the Fairfield Ledger published an article by Eric Gable headlined: ?Iowa Great Places initiative subject of Fairfield meeting.? It quoted Anita Walker, Iowa Director of Cultural Affairs, who said, ?In order to be prosperous and vigorous, we must have a good quality of life.? Walker went on to say that communities need to look at the face they present to visitors.Fairfield does ...

To the editor:Wake up Fairfield! Wake up Jefferson County!This is Iowa. One of the largest businesses of Iowa is agriculture. We have some of the richest soil in the world; why not use it to produce livestock and grain to help feed the world? Today, the average farmer must produce enough to feed approximately 170 people. In order to do this we must provide facilities to to handle these products. One of the ...

To The editor:I would like to thank the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors, Mayor Ed Malloy and our city council Members for their patience and graciousness, in hearing the major concerns raised by the proposed Heartland Co-op industrial complex, on the east edge of Fairfield. To be sure, there are some who wish the issue would just be dropped, or that opponents of the project would quietly accept defeat.The ...

To the editor:?You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.?If what this nation considers to be great minds such as scientists, scholars, gurus, theologians, world leaders, politicians, judges, etc. have a problem knowing truth, then how did shepherds, tentmakers, fishermen, tax collectors and a homeless carpenter know from which truth came?Any hope founded upon ...

To the editor:When Heartland builds their grain elevator, many hard working Jefferson County farmers will get a better profit on their corn due to reduced travel costs. Also, there will be 30 construction jobs lasting six months and six permanent jobs at the grain elevator when it opens. Those are all good things for the economy and the community. But who will pay for the accelerated road damage resulting from ...

To the editor:Fairfield Economic Development Association appreciates the difficult decision facing the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors and thanks the board for their hard work and consideration on this matter.Agriculture is the backbone of Iowa?s economy and grain elevators dot the landscape throughout our county and state. Jefferson County produces an average of 11.6 million bushels of corn and soybeans ...