Eileen2’s Recent Comments

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  Oh, I'm fine with it as part of the solution.  But from organic foodies all you get is that this is the ONLY solution needed.  I'm glad to hear that you are open to many solutions, because it is clear that no single solution for these complex issues is possible.  Some people may need fertilizer, some people may need better plants, some people should get trained as plant scientists....lots of things are going to be required.

  On Memo to Hillary's science czar: organic ag isn't a 'myth' posted 5 months, 1 week ago 10 Responses

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  The more I think about it, this urban poor-->farm thing sounds terrific.  People will have great jobs at high wages (right?), and they'll have access to services like education (right?) and health care (right?).  Clearly the US model of migrant workers shows us that is all true.

  I mean, I know the part you quote from the UN report refers to "farmers" and I assume that means owners.  And of course that will trickle down to the staff.

  On Memo to Hillary's science czar: organic ag isn't a 'myth' posted 5 months, 1 week ago 10 Responses

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  Ask yourself a few things:

  Why do people leave rural areas?  For better opportunities, right?  Farming is hard work, and serfdom isn't much of a career path.  Here's what your UN report says about that:

  "Sustainable livelihoods based on organic agricultural production may appear to be keeping people in rural areas away from centres of power, and 'modern' society when the aspirations of some rural people may precisely be to gain sufficient resources to leave rural areas."

  How can we empower women and children, and get them educations--which is the best path out of poverty?  Guess what: it isn't 8 hours a day hoeing.  Even that UN report you cite says that among the risks to women in that situation.  Here's the bit, on pdf page 50:

  "In some cases organic farming systems may increase the household workload and the burden may particularly fall on women if the cropping intensity of the farm increases or new lands are taken into cultivation.  However with the exception of vegetables, additional income arising from sales of produce, particularly coffee and cotton for export, may go directly to the men, who are less likely than women to invest in children and the household as a whole.  Farmers are also sometimes hesitant to adopt more labour intensive farming methods sometimes associated with organic agriculture, particularly if they are to be used with crops they consider low value."

  Increasing the burden on women is something that I'm opposed to.  Well-fed Westerners think we are talking about a happy Little House on the Prairie life with horsies and picket fences.  We aren't. 

  So, to clarify: I'm opposed to serfdom for people who don't want that, and additional burdens on women and children.  Does that help?

  On Memo to Hillary's science czar: organic ag isn't a 'myth' posted 5 months, 1 week ago 10 Responses

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  I see what this is now.  Organic is a full-employment strategy for poor countries.  According to that Badgley paper: 

  "Finally, organic production on average requires more hand labor than does conventional production, but the labor is often spread out more evenly over the growing season25,60–62. This requirement has the potential to alleviate rural unemployment in many areas and to reduce the trend of shantytown construction surrounding many large cities of the developing world."

  That's so...what's the word...Republican?  Let's get those folks workin' in the fields--we can't have them hanging around in shantytowns.

  On Memo to Hillary's science czar: organic ag isn't a 'myth' posted 5 months, 1 week ago 10 Responses

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  Checkmate.

  On In which I go toe to toe with H. Clinton's science czar over GMOs posted 5 months, 1 week ago 12 Responses