Reality Check – Thoughts From The Middle of Nowhere

<blockquote>Senate President Jon Tester, a Democrat and Big Sandy farmer, said the House-passed bill offers a new marketing tool for Montana ranchers that will help the economy and attract cattle feeding and meatpacking operations to the state to make use of the Montana brand.</blockquote> n nSo, a Montana only <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.com//index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/04/07/build/state/64-label-bill.inc" target="_new">country of origin bill</a> will "attract cattle feeding and meatpacking operations to the state." I really hate to tell Senator Tester and other supporters of this bill this, but Montana is not the center of the world. n nREALITY CHECK, our puny 800,000 people in the state are not enough of a market for a large meatpacking operation or feeding operations to move into the state. n nAll this bill is going to do is drive the small grocery stores out of business with its onerous requirements. Hope the Legislatures are proud of themselves. n nFor a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled. Richard Feynman