BornOnANebraskaFarm’s Recent Comments

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  Farmers

  Folks, these are real families we are talking about. In the end, it would have been great if they wouldn't have got into the industrialized chicken farms in the first place. However, that's the kind of economic development that was available to allow them to stay in their rural areas.  What could have helped was a Producers Protection Act, that 19 AGs proposed in the early part of the decade and which Tyson, Perdue and Pilgrim's fought tooth and nail. At least they would have had some protection on their contracts.  There aren't a lot of options for folks in some of these areas.  My heart goes out to them.

  Eating local makes you happy.

  On Farmers take the hit as the CAFO model comes under pressure posted 8 months, 3 weeks ago 6 Responses

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  Hassebrook

  Chuck is of course a fabulous choice for Under Secretary.  He's smart, practical, understands rural issues -- in addition to agriculture -- and has negotiated things politically as a University of Nebraska regent.  What he is not is popular with many general farm organizations like Farm Bureau or even some members of National Farmers Union.  Payment limitations are needed and make sense - but they aren't a total fix for the agricultural market system where more comprehensive commodity reform is critical.  Plus, payment limitations make a lot more sense in Iowa and Nebraska (where few farmers get more than the proposed limits) and generate much less opposition there than they do in places like Arkansas, Texas and Missouri where Democrats regularly oppose them (because of their large cotton and rice farming areas).  

  Eating local makes you happy.

  On USDA deputy secretary pick a key barometer of Obama's policy direction posted 9 months, 2 weeks ago 4 Responses

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  Vilsack

  Did anyone read Alan Guebert's column about meeting Tom Vilsack at an Iowa Farmers' Union meeting ten years ago?  On Vilsack's campaign literature, according to Guebert, there was no mention of his party affiliation. He was running to succeed a popular Republican... Guebert asked an aide if Vilsack was running as an independent since there was no indication of any party. Guebert took it to mean he was a big middle of the roader and trying to get votes from both Republicans and Democrats without actually saying anything.  If Guebert is right, the story illustrates that Vilsack could go either way -- Guebert posits that if has higher political ambitions, he'll carry out Big Ag's agenda. If he doesn't then he may do some things to make USDA lean more sustainable.... Still doesn't give me much hope. On a brighter note -- I had heard that Michelle Obama may take food as part of her portolio -- anybody else heard that?

  Eating local makes you happy.

  On Big Organic execs and some activists rally behind Obama's USDA pick posted 10 months ago 4 Responses

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  More on assessment

  Also -- the Latin American Assessment (LAC) did a fantastic job of looking at agroecological approaches and their benefits for poverty, hunger and environment.

  Eating local makes you happy.

  On Global food riots edition posted 1 year, 7 months ago 7 Responses

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  Agricultural Assessment

  Hi Tom -- Good post! I want to direct your attention to what international organizations are thinking about doing.  I'm here in S. Africa at the plenary of the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development. How can agricultural knowledge, science and technology address issues of hunger, poverty and sustainable rural development? The assessment really calls for a new paradigm that focus on agriculture's multifunctionality as the only way that we can reduce hunger and poverty AND provide sustainable rural livelihoods.  The key issue is that we have to shift our focus from exclusivly on productivity to small farmer profitability, health and enivronment. Get the authors' documents now at www.agassessment.org. The governments are changing things as you read this and the newly agreed upon documents won't be back up until later!  -- Mary
  

  Eating local makes you happy.

  On Global food riots edition posted 1 year, 7 months ago 7 Responses