CowsEatGrass’s Recent Comments

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  The nitrogen treadmill really only makes sense because of subsidies. While it's certainly true that more N means more corn, putting fertilizer on costs money. At some point, the extra yield you get from that extra tank of fertilizer does not offset the cost. However, when you get a set payment from the government for every bushel you produce the game changes. You can put on that extra fertilizer and make your money back from the taxpayers. Of course this leads to more N leaching and denitrification, which contribute to water pollution and climate change, respectively, which cost even more to deal with.On Can you taste the fuels in your food? posted 1 month, 1 week ago 5 Responses

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  I think this implies that the consumer is asking for feedlot beef.  I think the percentage of people that actually seek out meat from feedlots because it is from feedlots is very small.  Most folks just want cheap, tasty food.  They buy the stuff from feedlots because it is cheap and it is cheap because it is heavily subsidized.  I agree that consumers are to blame, but the top-down issues are equally responsible for the perils of our current food system.

  On What the financial collapse can teach us about the food system posted 5 months, 4 weeks ago 18 Responses

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  Treat it with wetlands.

  Use it to fertilize non-food crops or ornamentals.

  Segregating the really nasty stuff from the human waste would also go a long way toward managine this waste stream, but that's quite a challenge....

  On Sludge, farmer's friend or toxic slime? posted 6 months, 2 weeks ago 18 Responses

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  Sewage sludge is prohibited for any use on Certified Organic Farms.  It is one of the basic "Nos" along with GMOs and radiation.

  On Sludge, farmer's friend or toxic slime? posted 6 months, 2 weeks ago 18 Responses

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  Certified Organic livestock may not be fed any animal parts or manure.

  On Symptom: swine flu. Diagnosis: industrial agriculture? posted 6 months, 3 weeks ago 27 Responses