Letter to the Editor: Support wind energy to give farmers options

The undersigned owner-operators of farmland in Floyd County support the Wind Farm project.

Future wind opportunities, such as the most recent Invenergy project, are great for Floyd County from two standpoints:

1) Long-term financial security for producers who choose to host a turbine on their property, and,

2) A wider property base to provide the opportunity for county government leaders to lower the tax levy.

Margins in agriculture are getting thinner like most segments of our economy. Agricultural producers have individual rights and responsibilities when deciding to add another enterprise to sustain their farming operation. They need to be given the opportunity to make those decisions without local government involvement.

Margins in county government are getting thinner as decisions out of control of the local authorities are being transferred to the county, city and school decision makers. A change in the local government’s position regarding wind energy will be an opportunity for reduces tax askings to assist with those lost state revenues.

Now is the time for Floyd Couty supervisors to welcome wind energy back to the county to enhance agricultural net income (and subsequent future increased spending for their personal and farm business) while providing a means to increase the property tax base (to lower taxes to all county property tax payers).

Leland Boyd, Charles City

Kent C. and Lori A. Hoeft, Charles City

Daniel R. Miller, Rockford

Kurtis Hoeft, Charles City

Craig and Julie Begeman, Charles City

Bill Vetter, Charles City

Denny Begeman, Charles City

Jerry and Georgena Vetter, Charles City