Rambling through central Illinois, impressed that the forecasters were close to correct on this storm but pondering what happened to El Nino?
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We’re heading into another busy election season, which means the Mayor of Oak Hill’s pearls of wisdom will be lived out on a daily basis. As in, “Why tell the truth when a lie will do?”
I mention this because some politicians continue to falsely claim that China is the biggest foreign landowner in the U.S. Some people hear this claim and think it might be true. Well, it’s not.
Canada owns the most U.S. forest and farmland, clocking in with 14.2 million acres, or 32 percent of all foreign-owned farmland. That’s according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
The other largest foreign investors are the Netherlands (12%), Italy (6%), the United Kingdom (6%) and Germany (5%). China actually owns less than 1% of U.S. land.
Worth noting, also, is that only 3.4% of forest and farmland in the U.S. was foreign owned as of Dec. 31, 2022. Ownership of strictly farmland, however, increased to more than 8% by the end of 2022.
Only 2.6% of Illinois land was foreign owned as of Dec. 31, 2021.
Also worth noting is that China does have major investments in American ag, including ownership of Smithfield Foods, the country’s largest producer of pork.
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Over the years, I’ve encountered numerous old people who took pride in odd things. Having joined their ranks, it all makes sense now.
Let me explain. Our Weekly Post headquarters is not really a fancy building, though it has a long history here in Elmwood and was once home to a harness maker, I am told.
That’s not the matter that sets me to smiling like a proud father every winter. What is wonderful about this office is that there’s seldom a need to turn on the heat thanks to the building’s big south-facing windows.
Oh, you may need a sweater for the first few hours or on a cloudy day. But after lunch, if the sun is shining even just a little, the heat in this office will have you fighting cat naps.
The other day was a perfect example. The temperature outside read 33 degrees and inside, the morning started at a relatively chilly 69 (which is still warmer than my wife will allow us to set our home thermostat). The heat was not on and was not needed. Because by 2 p.m., thanks to the wonderful orange orb above, we were basking in a 78-degree sauna.
While dumb luck led us to move into this office, I will forever put extra value on south-facing windows.
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Speaking of warm places to visit, the Canton Secretary of State’s Office offers plenty of natural warmth owing to its windows and also features short lines and efficient service. Why would anybody would go to Peoria for Secretary of State business? … Elmwood’s search for a replacement for School Superintendent Chad Wagner has attracted a few applicants so far in advance of the Jan. 22 deadline. Finding another super with financial savvy, a real strength of Wagner, will be even more important given that longtime treasurer Sherry Swindler is retiring and taking with her a great deal of institutional knowledge. …
In this the Year of the Bobcat, we’ve been arguing about which critter would win in the French Creek bottoms photo above. I’m betting on the bobcat, even more so after watching an Oklahoma video of a black house cat saving a family dog from two coyotes. … Better footage to look up, though, is woodpecker vs. snake. Those are some epic battles.
… All I want for Christmas next year is someone to invent a phone charger that can be locked into a power source. That way no child can “borrow” the charger and cause me to search for it under wet towels and dirty clothes and between glasses half filled with week-old milk – all that just so I can charge my phone with my charger. … Parting shot: Those who peruse Facebook and enjoy a little humor injected into their weather reports should check out the Fulton County ESDA page. Lots of mentions of Godzilla, which is a good thing.
Contact Jeff Lampe at (309) 231-6040 or jeff@wklypost.com
