By Joe Sigg, Arizona Farm Bureau: I am reminded that agriculture does not exist without the marvels of science and technology. Given the historically low profit margins in agriculture, the life would have just been squeezed out of us but for our embrace of science and technology. We just love science – well mostly.

And yet we are not consistent angels – every so often, we go a little anti-science, and so it is with climate change doubters.

Last fall, for example, the science panel of the U.N. released its 5th report in the past 25 years:  the consensus of the world’s scientists indicates the planet’s surface temperature has risen 1.5 degrees F in the last 130 years and human actions, including the burning of fossil fuels, are extremely likely to have been the dominant cause.

Science does not always get it right, and it often takes a while, but it’s reasonably difficult to deny the issue on a scientific basis.

However, I did read an interview with Charles Koch of Koch Industries [yes that one] who had an interesting take on global warming. He said he accepts what the scientists say – who is he to doubt it? But he also says “so what” – please show me the scientific evidence that the global warming is catastrophic … show me the science which supports all of the doomsayers and doomsdayers.

This struck me as being somewhat more reasonable than just denying the whole thing.

Grist for the mill.