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kevhav
1/12/2009 12:35 PM | I have a specific proposal around this idea: shift the subsidies that are provided by the Farm Bill so that we are subsidizing healthy, organic, smaller, sustainable farms ... and not subsidizing chemical farming and methods that depletes our soil & water and emit excessive greenhouse gases. |
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SeldomSeen
1/12/2009 1:37 PM | I agree with shifting subsidies away from "corporate farms" and I believe that these shifted subsides need to be applied in such a way so that areas that can be re-utilized for sustainable farming are reclaimed for those purposes by attracting a new generation of "family farmers" back into the business of creating local nutritional whole foods.
I also believe that we need an education (marketing) program for consumers teaching people how to eat a more sustainable and locally seasonable diet. |
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Jedidiah
1/12/2009 3:54 PM | Â I agree with SeldomSeen that we need to put some serious effort behind an educational program to combat the billions of dollars spent by unhealthy food-product marketers every year. |
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Torgy
1/12/2009 4:24 PM | There is need for more emphasis on self-help efforts by producers using cooperatives and other forms of group action to augment producers position in the food chain and to provide consumers with a continuous supply of healthful foods. More self-help means less dependence on government subsidies and enables producers to develop their own markets. To that end the Federal government needs to support programs of the USDA's Cooperative Service including technical advisory assistance, research, education and assistance to producers seeking to build new self-help initiatives. Grass roots efforts are a proven way to build markets with quality products. Only in this way will the producers role in the economic organization of agriculture and the role of family enterprises be enhanced for the public good. |
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Farm4Food
1/12/2009 5:09 PM | As a farmer of small scale sustainable market farm, the first and foremost asset I have is a knowledgable and willing customer base. The public must be informed, or rather, reintroduced to the connections and benefits gained by supporting local farms. This association of community health to local farms has largly been understated . Educational outreach that teaches communities about local farms and local food, would generate a customer base more willing to support us.
I know this may sound crazy but if a farm is to be truly sustainable it does not necessarily have suppliment its income from outside sources A sustainable should be able to provide the local community with fresh produce, and meats that is derived directly from that communities capital.  |
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Farm4Food
1/12/2009 5:09 PM | As a farmer of small scale sustainable market farm, the first and foremost asset I have is a knowledgable and willing customer base. The public must be informed, or rather, reintroduced to the connections and benefits gained by supporting local farms. This association of community health to local farms has largly been understated or . Educational outreach that teaches communities about local farms and local food, would generate a customer base more willing to support us.
I know this may sound crazy but if a farm is to be truly sustainable it does not necessarily have suppliment its income from outside sources A sustainable should be able to provide the local community with fresh produce, and meats that is derived directly from that communities capital.  |
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Luke
1/12/2009 6:20 PM | What would it take for reduced scale farming to be profitable? Cash rent for landlords are about $100 per acre for corn, soybeans and wheat. If you did the work yourself, there is the investment of machinery, etc. So, if you can afford to buy some land, the machinery, etc. then who can afford to pay extra for their food (e.g. beef, pork, etc.)? Small farms would be lucky to have net incomes above poverty level. By the way, the government subsidy for corn, soybeans and wheat is about $18 per acre. This can be split between the landloard and farmer. If this subsidy went away, the bigger saving may be the overhead in the USDA with their infrastructure, salaries, etc. It may cost more to distribute these funds than a small farmer actually gets! |
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Grimp
1/12/2009 6:33 PM | If there is some way to create a small, local farm system for the whole country that more or less matches the efficiencies gained in production and distribution by having large farms, you might be able to sell this proposal.
IÂ agree, it's better for the environment to stop shipping food around the country and fresh, local food is tastier and arguably healthier than the produce of large-scale farms, but we do have a very effective distribution system set up through railroads and trucking. While people should eat what they can get locally and what is in season, people will still want to eat Florida oranges in New York. If small farms can arrange themselves into more powerful cooperatives, they might be able to replace the larger farms that make up the customer base for the distribution companies (like Sysco).
You've got to outcompete them in order to make this work. One big advantage the large farms have over the small ones is the subsidies for corn, etc in the Farm Bill. Small farms who don't grow corn are at a big disadvantage when competing against a large farm that can use profits made from selling corn to fund its ventures in other crops.
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Kevin J. Kauth
1/12/2009 9:32 PM | This is protectionism. Agriculture and food is the most vital global trade item that cannot afford protectionism. Whoever in the world can produce food the cheapest and the fastest MUST be allowed to thrive. Decreased food prices would result, save lives, and help the global economy.  |
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Luke
1/12/2009 9:42 PM | |
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kyle
1/12/2009 10:01 PM | Part of making small farms profitable is paying small farm workers a living wage. This will keep people in farming if they didn't happen to inherit land. I have done two "internships" of three months full-time farm work in exchange for room and board. This is fine before the student loan payment grace period is over, but now that it is, I can't afford to work on a farm!!! |
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Luke
1/12/2009 10:40 PM | |
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karlsrc
1/13/2009 12:49 AM | Here's how to do it while preserving freedom and economics:
Stop subsidizing gargantuan agribusiness. If agribusiness is really more efficient than small local production, then it will profit anyway in the free market. But the giant firms that exist only because of government subsidies will wither away.
Stop public policies that make small local production illegal. Land owners and tenants have the right to grow their own food if they need or want to. Zoning or other policies that forbid this should be considered contrary to public policy and eradicated.
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William
1/13/2009 6:23 AM | All I know is that if the way we feed this country now depends on cheap energy. If we really want to be sustainable, we need to stop trucing goods to-and-fro across the continennt. We need to get local!
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CitizenSkyye
1/13/2009 9:34 AM | Locally grown foods are proven to have a greater nutrition level and when coupled with natural fertilizers, natural pest control, organic and sustainable methods, we find a noteable increase in nutrition in these foods. Add increased health and reduced impact on the healthcare costs, the economic impact of the american family, and the increased interest these farmers will have to have a sustainable farm and fertile soil it is a win win all the way around
Voted Up!
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Proud KY Citizen
1/13/2009 9:39 AM |
Giving Pride back to People
Homeless people could help with growing gardens and food processing like freezing, canning etc. off of wasted empty lots and land of cities or gov…Use that food in the Soup Kitchens or distribute to Welfare families or have them sell at a farm market. Even have them bused to an out of city location to work for a certain length of time if there are no empty lots in the city. For every hour they contribute, they get so much food &/or health care, etc… This might also work for some of the Welfare families… Let them feel proud of being productive…. Have some of the Homeless or Welfare help in the Soup Kitchens… Again, making them feel productive… Even if they just wash dishes or sweep the floor or clean off tables…or greet people at the door…
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TheRealist
1/13/2009 3:19 PM | Don't complain that a government program was put in place and people gamed the system to make money, then ask that a new program is put in place to help you. How do we know that you won't game the system as well?
Also realize that we don't need to import one single food item to feed the US. We do it because it is either off season or we have trade agreements. Those countries rely on our money to survive. Rather than giving them a fish, we teach them how to fish and then buy that fish from them. If we are 100% self sufficient, we will need to send more cash for nothing out of this country if we are to help other people.
Yes, the Farm Bill is bloated and should be revamped. Yes, buying locally is better since you should support your local businesses first. But not every crop grows everywhere. What subsidy would we give Las Vegas to grow local? How will they grow rice in Minnesota? Corn in Arizona?
Advertise yourself, start a Co-Op, network, go to your Farmer's Market, start a Farmer's Market. It's a business, run it; don't ask for money from the government, ask for it from your local bank. If it fails it's because it was run wrong, not needed, or before it's time. People tend to embrace local food when offered, they don't need government incentives to try it.
But don't automatically pass over that asparagus from Peru. |
