Losing Control of Our Food Supply #3: US Government & Monsanto: Strange Bedfellows

It saddens me to see our politicians stand up and talk about saving the family farmer then to see the money they spent go to the big outfits. Farmers who have 100 workers do not strike me as family farmers. In my country 100’s of families no longer raises dairy cows while one man owns dozens of 1000+ cow daries. He gets subsidized by my tax dollar. These are large feedlots that smell like shit. The american dream is dead….and beginning to stink.

-- http://woodsongsfurniture.com

Dennis,
Thank you for your thoughtful comments. The condition of America is sad indeed right now. We do have a small family farm that also has cows and a feed store. They are good people, and they let me take the manure for my garden anytime! I bet I couldn’t do that at a factory farm! I would be concerned about the manure from a place like that anyway. This family has way more land than cows and doesn’t need to pre-emptively shoot them up with drugs (also from Monsanto).
Robin

-- Robin282, Zone 7, SE Coast of MA, USA

Robin,

Thanks for posting on these issues. Another great book to read that brings these issues to a very personal level – your dining table – is “The Omnivore’s Dilemma.” Highly recommended.

with all the hype about “buy local” I hope our local farmers can start making ends meet so they don’t have to sell out ot the big boys.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

It’s a double-edged sword. Big business pays people to do work. Those people then spend that money on the products big business makes. In a way, it’s easier for government to tend to the few that do the most, rather than tend to the masses (they have a hard enough time tending to the few as it is.)

My theory is …. it used to be, a persons job was to build shelter, make fire, and forage, grow, and hunt for food and water. They didn’t “go” somewhere to do it. It was all right there on the ‘ole homestead.

[ranting part deleted…I’m getting better]

Bring back home ecomonics and shop classes in the schools. We should have more interest in carrots and ‘taters than ipods and playstations.

In the end, I think the homesteaders will have to convince the masses to rebel against the government. The government does what the people let it get away with. Once people no longer accept that behaviour, then, the government and big business with have to capitulate

-- arborial reconfiguration specialist......Zone out....(USA 5)

“I” have the power.. the more “I”’s the more power…

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)