Private property rights, one of the basic premises our country was founded upon, are being tugged and pulled in opposite directions by two legitimate concerns: (1) the need for fewer federal and state laws and regulations that hamper private businesses and invade private property rights, and (2) the justifiable concern for our environment. Farmers and ranchers are immersed in this dispute as the public's concern for water quality, endangered species, air quality, soil erosion and wildlife habitat (just to name a few) conflicts with the rights of private property owners. As the current Congress attempts to bring some balance to this controversy, the rhetoric and political pressures keep the pot boiling.

As more people inhabit God's creation, federal and state regulations and local zoning keep infringing on individual rights. The pressure from the environmental community continues to mount and envelop individual citizens as activist groups spend money on well-organized campaigns to promote their causes. Federal courts are used to acquire precedent-setting decisions to achieve the environmentalists' desired results whenever legislation and government actions are not sufficient.

Natural resource groups join in the fray by keeping their members involved and informed. Too often farmers and ranchers resist information and ideas from these more balanced groups because of the misinformation presented by some of the extreme activist groups. Some in the agricultural community still resist all ideas from any environmental or natural resources groups because of the strong feeling that private property rights must prevail and the tactics and misinformation being used by some of the environmental groups to promote their causes.

Most farmers and ranchers are strong conservationists. Some even call themselves environmentalists. Most are doing an excellent job of managing pesticides by learning to farm with low-level or zero pesticides, and they are caring for the soil, water and wildlife on their farm/ranch land. The problem is that the few bad actors or situations in production agriculture get all the attention. The average citizen is bombarded by TV and some Hollywood types looking for a cause whenever food handling or the environment is mentioned.

The truth is that we in the United States have the safest and most abundant food supply in the history of man. Certainly we can improve on some of the practices in farming and ranching, and we are continually doing this. And, yes, it's not just agriculture alone that should be scrutinized. The environmental problems in urban and industrial areas are also causing pollution of surface and ground water as well as the air.

What's the answer to this conflict? Private property rights are important and must be continued in our country. Concern for the environment is critical as the people pressure on our world continues to mount. As we face a year when the Congress will be renewing two important pieces of legislation. the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act, a balanced and rational approach must be used.

Why can't farm groups sit down with the natural resource groups and some of the environmental groups and work out reasonable compromises on these laws? Sounds simple on the surface, and it may be difficult in reality. But it is worth the effort. As our country and world face more people to feed, clothe and house, we need to stop turf protection and cause promotion and get on with maintaining our basic freedoms as well as caring for our God given environment.

As citizens (individually and collectively) we should support legislation and seek court rulings that consider private property rights as well as the environmental concerns we all face.

Peter C. Myers Sr. of Sikeston is president of Myers Land Management Co. and served as deputy secretary of agriculture during the Reagan administration. He also is president of Adopt A Farm Family, a Christian outreach program.