AG McDaniel Talks Grain Controversy, EPA, Lt. Governor Proposal

The possible issues involving a commodities dealer being investigated by federal and state agencies are a “travesty and tragedy,” Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said Wednesday.

McDaniel spoke to members of a local Kiwanis club in Jonesboro about Turner Grain Merchandising.

Questions about the company, based in Brinkley, emerged Friday with a letter sent out by Arkansas Speaker of the House Davy Carter, R-Cabot.

“Recently, it has come to my attention that some of our Arkansas farmers may have been left holding breached commodity contracts executed by one or more commodity brokers in Arkansas,” Carter’s letter read. “If this holds true, literally tens of millions of hard earned dollars that our farm families were expecting will have disappeared into the heavens.”

A meeting of the Joint Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development committees is scheduled for Friday in Little Rock to discuss the situation. Carter has asked all parties involved “to stay calm as the facts develop.”

McDaniel told the civic group that associate attorneys general Grace Ellen Rice and Maurice Rigsby have spoken to Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Butch Calhoun about the issue.

“Right now, it is more rumor than fact,” McDaniel said of the issue.

McDaniel said his office has been working with federal agencies on the issue and that the United States Department of Agriculture has been at the Brinkley offices of the company. However, McDaniel stressed that farmers who may have been impacted by the situation contact legal counsel and keep all records of any transactions.

After the meeting, McDaniel said the commodities system is very complex to understand.

“It is a very complicated system. Even though I grew up in the middle of rice country and thought I knew everything about farming, it is still very sophisticated.”

EPA, LT. GOVERNOR PROPOSALS
McDaniel said he is also reserving the state’s right to join West Virginia to sue the federal Environmental Protection Agency in light of an impending ruling involving CO2 gases.

An EPA regulation that is currently in a public comment period calls for a 44% reduction in the gases, McDaniel said, noting the state’s residents could face issues.

“It calls for a 44% reduction. The problem is that Arkansas is 46th in per capita income,” McDaniel said.

McDaniel told the group that he has met with EPA officials and officials with Jonesboro City Water and Light on the matter.

McDaniel also discussed a plan by State Sen. Jimmy Hickey, R-Texarkana, and State Sen. Keith Ingram, D-West Memphis, to try to eliminate the Lt. Governor’s office.

Under the plan, which could be on the 2016 ballot if legislators approve it, the Lt. Governor’s position would be done away with, with the attorney general serving next in line to become governor if there is a death or resignation.

“I don’t think it will impact the Attorney General’s race a great deal,” said McDaniel, who is term-limited and will leave office in January. “I think Sen. Ingram is sincere in eliminating the post. We have had two incidents in the past 10 years (the 2006 death of then Lt. Gov. Win Rockefeller and the resignation of Lt. Gov. Mark Darr this year) and nothing bad has happened in the interim.”

As for his possible political future, McDaniel said while he was not slamming the door to a future run, he was focused on electing Democrats this year and would like to go back into law early next year.