Sustainability - Where are the farmers?

[Ladyhawke1]

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/07/09-6

Please do not forget to read the comments section of this article. Thanks.

 

[wifezilla]

Great googely moogely

The farmers are a freaking afterthought in this report.

 

[hoodat]

There was a disconnect (I put it around the late 40s to early 50s) when farmers started growing according to chemical company recommendations and government subsidies and stopped the old practices. The younger generation of farmers were not willing to learn the old ways and the old timers were told that they had nothing of value to pass on.
I remember how shocked I was to pick up farming magazines and suddenly find them filled with advice on how to milk the government subsidies for every dollar you can and not a single article about farming practices, except to use roundup and other chemicals to Kill Kill Kill everything in sight except the crop you are trying to grow.

 

[seedcorn]

There was a disconnect (I put it around the late 40s to early 50s) when farmers started growing according to chemical company recommendations and government subsidies and stopped the old practices. The younger generation of farmers were not willing to learn the old ways and the old timers were told that they had nothing of value to pass on.
I remember how shocked I was to pick up farming magazines and suddenly find them filled with advice on how to milk the government subsidies for every dollar you can and not a single article about farming practices, except to use roundup and other chemicals to Kill Kill Kill everything in sight except the crop you are trying to grow.

What farm magazine are you picking up? I know of NONE that are of that ilk.

Commercial fertilizers didn't become prevelant until the 60's, chemicals in the 70's, farm programs didn't become prevelant until 1983, GMO's until 2000. With each change, average yields increased.

Government programs are not for the farmers but for the consumers as it keeps food prices low. EVERY farmer I know, wishes they would go away but then the consumers would have to pay a fair price. People whine with cheap food, what would they do if they had to pay 25% of their income for food? Most of the world pays closer to 40%.

 

[Ladyhawke1]

There was a disconnect (I put it around the late 40s to early 50s) when farmers started growing according to chemical company recommendations and government subsidies and stopped the old practices. The younger generation of farmers were not willing to learn the old ways and the old timers were told that they had nothing of value to pass on.
I remember how shocked I was to pick up farming magazines and suddenly find them filled with advice on how to milk the government subsidies for every dollar you can and not a single article about farming practices, except to use roundup and other chemicals to Kill Kill Kill everything in sight except the crop you are trying to grow.

What farm magazine are you picking up? I know of NONE that are of that ilk.

Commercial fertilizers didn't become prevelant until the 60's, chemicals in the 70's, farm programs didn't become prevelant until 1983, GMO's until 2000. With each change, average yields increased.

Government programs are not for the farmers but for the consumers as it keeps food prices low. EVERY farmer I know, wishes they would go away but then the consumers would have to pay a fair price. People whine with cheap food, what would they do if they had to pay 25% of their income for food? Most of the world pays closer to 40%.

Bring back jobs to America and everyone wins. Ta..da!