Large vs. Small Farm....Corporate vs. Mom & Pop

[brin]

This is an interesting article on size of farms...and which is better....large or small...

Small vs. large: Which size farm is better for the planet? - The Washington Post

 

[motownbrowne]

Pretty good article. People in this country currently spend a smaller portion of their income on food than ever in history. While many people (air-conditioned university assistant-professors included) may think this is a good thing and describe high-quality food as a "luxury item," some of us believe that the money spent on good food is worth it in many cases.

Good food grown locally is better for you. It is better for the air soil and water in your region. It tastes better too.

My dad always said, "you can pay the farmer or the pharmacist".

To me, and a growing number of Americans, the higher cost of local food is worth the price.

 

[MacLawn]

Amen moto. We buy local. But, wha's wrong with an assistant professor?

 

[motownbrowne]

Amen moto. We buy local. But, wha's wrong with an assistant professor?

Nah, nothing really. Actually my step-brother must know that guy. He just got his PhD in Applied Economics from that university. It just rubs me the wrong way when people with many thousands of dollars worth of education consider a product which I call vital a luxury item.

Maybe I'm assuming too much here, but if good vegetables are a luxury item, I sure hope they consider Latte's, cable TV, running water, the Internet, pillows, etc, etc the same way. All can be lived without.

 

[dave1949]

There was some discussion around this topic in this thread starting around Post #20:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/319491-what-grass-called-3.html


We were mostly discussing farming methods, the reliance on chemicals that goes along with 'corporate' farming. But, it is a complex topic with many parameters.

I don't disagree with the "economy of scale" side of the issue. However as with most things, the cost of consumer foodstuffs is only the cost being considered. There are environmental and social costs too that remain unaccounted for.

How much non-market social engineering are we willing to do? Make no mistake, we are being 'socially engineered' by market forces--and our food ain't what it used to be-- so it's just a question of who or what sets our priorities. That is what it would take to realign agricultural practices to a Mom & Pop scale.

 

[brin]

A friend of mine sent me these links....the first on is from 2009...it is sent as support and background for the second link...I sure hope no one is messing with our food....We hear about all this genetic modification of our food....I don't know enough about it to know how bad it is...? I vote for family farms...we buy from local farmers markets and local beef , pork and chicken farmers.

Codex Threatens Health of Billions - NaturalNews.com

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/co...odex_Strategic_Plan_2012-2017.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

 

[dave1949]

This is an interesting site: What

It is a collection of USDA pesticide presence/residue test reports on various food items and water. The levels detected probably are not in doubt. How much of a poison or toxin, or combinations of these, is "safe" to consume is a topic of research with many unknowns.