Fair Farm Price Supports: Reform farm price supports to cover the costs of production plus a living income for family farmers and farmworker cooperatives.
Of course, farm production exists in a vacuum, with no mention of outside producers, or weak harvests, or the increased cost of food to the rest of the country. I dislike the idea of subsidies, however, so my views my be colored by that.
Subsidize Transition to Organic Agriculture: Subsidize farmers' transition to organic agriculture while natural systems of soil fertility and pest control are being restored.
While some studies have demonstrated that organic farming can be practiced profitably, most of these studies fail to take into account that organic farming produces food that is less nutritious, less visually appealing, takes longer to mature, and yields significantly less per acre than conventional farming. Converting to organic farming is going to create a dramatic upswing in the amount of land needed to grow the same amount of food.
Another overlooked point is that organic fertilizer (manure) is more likely to harbor unpleasant critters such as the mutant E. Coli strain that has killed people; synthetic fertilizer will never harbor bacteria. And by stopping fungicide use, the risk of unpleasant side effects caused by fungus exposure in foods such as celery is significantly increased.
Support Small Farmers: Create family farms and farm worker cooperatives through a homesteading program and land reform based on acreage limitations and residency requirements.
"Creating" is fine, as long is it isn't forced. If farmers want to work together, more power to them. However, forced collectivization sounds like Ukraine in the 1920's, and I'll have none of that, thank you very much.
Break Up Corporate Agribusiness: Create family farms and farmworker cooperatives through a homesteading program and land reform based on acreage limitations and residency requirements.
This point is essentially the same as the previous one, with a blast at "big agriculture" thrown in for good measure. The concept of "land reform" is odious, as it has always been a recipe for disaster (the Soviet Union and Zimbabwe).
posted on June 21, 2003 10:55 PM
