Governors from four states appeared before the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Tuesday to discuss so-called green jobs. And they heard from Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond, the Ranking Member of the comittee’s Green Jobs and the New Economy Sibcommittee. Bond warned the Governors about embracing something he sees as expensive with little promise of economic return.

"As a former Governor, I know the pressure that elected officials face to create jobs and promote economic development," Bond told the Governors. "During these tough economic times new jobs are needed now more than ever. At the same time, regrettably, carbon cap and trade legislation threatens to kill millions of jobs through higher energy costs."

Bond then went on to express his concens about green jobs simply replacing existing jobs – at a tremendous cost.

"I put out a report earlier this spring on green jobs – ‘Yellow Light on Green Jobs’ – and we found that some green jobs, especially wind and solar, kill existing jobs to pay for new green jobs," said Bond during the hearing. "They pay low wages and require expensive taxpayer subsidies to create."

Bond then spoke of a wind turbine tower manufacturing plant in Pueblo, Colorado, explaining that officials gave away $32 million in economic development funds, incentives, matching grants, and tax credits to produce only 450 jobs in a move that amounts to a $71,000 subsidy per job. He then made it clear that while Colorado might have embraced this expenditure, he doubts Missouri would embrace anything of the kind.

"What I do know," said Bond. "Is that the citizens and taxpayers in my state don’t want their energy taxes raised or their other jobs killed to pay for green jobs."

Download/Listen: Steve Walsh report (:60 MP3)

The battle continues to rage, on Capitol Hill, over proposed cap and trade legislation, which is designed to reduce carbon emissions. And, Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-MO) is hammering away at the costs associated with implementation of cap and trade, especially the added costs he claims would be absorbed by farmers.

A study conducted by the University of Missouri-Columbia Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) and Iowa State University finds farmers would be hit hard, financially, if proposed cap and trade legislation becomes law. On Tuesday, Bond presented the findings of that study to the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which is considering cap and trade legislation.

"I received a disturbing report," Bond told the committee. "That the proposed cap and trade legislation will cost the average Missouri farmer up to $30,000 per year. Now, we’ve long suspected that higher energy prices from cap and trade will hurt farmers with higher production costs. In President Obama’s own words, ‘Electricity prices will necessarily skyrocket under cap and trade.’"

Bond went on to tell Senators where those higher costs would be felt.

"There’d be higher costs for seed, fertilizer, chemicals, custom hire and rental, machinery fuel, drying and irrigation energy, machinery repairs and operating interests," said Bond. "I can only tell my colleagues here on the committee, many of whom come from the coasts and may not be familiar with farm costs, that $11,000 rising to $30,000 per far is a jaw-dropping number for farmers."

In his weekly telephone conference call with reporters, Bond rejected claims from critics who claim those numbers are inflated and inaccurate.

"Unfortunately, some of our friends in the city tend to think that food grows on grocery store shelves," said Bond. "These folks think that these higher costs passed onto farmers are a small price to pay."

And Bond blasts those who say the cost to the average farm would amount to only $1,600 a year.

"For a parttime farmer," said Bond. "$1,600 more a year is still a hefty price tag for a bill that won’t work since China and India have rejected limiting their carbon contributions."

Bond’s Missouri colleague in the Senate, Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO), has expressed concerns about the cap and trade legislation.

Download/Listen: Steve Walsh report (:60 MP3)

Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-MO) would like to see President Barack Obama say and do more in the wake of the disputed election in Iran. In a radio conference call with reporters, Bond expressed disappointment in the international community’s response to the developments.

"The regime’s violent backlash against its own citizens was brutal," said Bond. "But it really appears that there was fraud, the bloody retaliation against the demonstrators isn’t surprising. The international community continues to do nothing more than slap them on the wrist."

Bond wants to see President Obama reach out to the people of Iran.

"The President ought to reach out to (opposition leader) Mousavi , the defeated candidate, just to establish relations with him," said Bond. "He ought to reach out to the Iranian people, telling them that the Americans are interested in their needs and want to hear from them."

Concerns have been expressed that the U.S. could be inviting trouble by reaching out to Iranian opposition leaders or dissidents, but Bond says that should not be an issue.

"Frankly, (Iranian President) Ahmenidijad is not going to be any more hostile," said Bond. "He couldn’t be any more hostile than he already is – if we reach out to the Iranian people."

In Bond’s view, President Obama has, "Whiffed on this one."

Download/Listen: Steve Walsh report (:60 MP3)