Every year the government spends millions of our tax dollars subsidizing farmers to not grow, or just to support prices. Tree-huggers want farmers to grow more organic food, but it is expensive, so few people buy it. So, WHY NOT only subsdize farmers to grow organically? No more farmers shooting up cows with growth hormones, then dumping the excess milk on the government. No more fertilizer run-off into our water supply. Surely our wise politicians can see the wisedom of this, they won't be influenced by ADM or a bunch of whiney farmers, right? :-)
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Just stop subsidizing all farmers.
If farm subsidies then only for organic, but better yet stop all subsidies and tax fuel/energy instead of income - net effect should be roughly the same. All artificial fertilizers and pesticides should be much more expensive when energy needed to produce them would be taxed. In this scheme relative prices of organic vs. non-organic produce should be much more in favour of organics. Also local produce should be relatively less expensive then produce transported thousands of miles from the fields to the store.Many beneficial outcomes without any subsidies and only with change in taxation system.
Both ideas are awesome! We just have to get SOMETHING done. We should look at Mendocino County as a great example and support Percy Schmeiser.
http://www.percyschmeiser.com/
I believe both of you are correct and on the right track for our Nation.I would make a suggestion for a compromise between both your ideas whereby our Government could re-institute the production of Hemp for Manufacturing and Fuel resources.If Hemp were to be allowed once more (Hemp is not Marijuana), not only could it be incorporated into the farm subsidize program but it would spur a huge growth in the manufacturing sector since it can be used for paper, clothing, building materials (including plastics for Auto bodies) and many other products as well as converted into a Bio-fuel which has been proven to be able to run in the common diesel engine with a slight modification.It also is grown without the aid of pesticides and fertilizers and can be grown on the same plot of land season after season without rotation.There is absolutely NO reason this wonderful plant shouldn't be utilized. It was banned based upon the needs for Randolf Hurst wishing to protect his vast forest tracts for paper production, nothing more.
Promote this idea to every Congressperson & Senator, as well as each Presidential candidate, so that this nation can reclaim it's vibrant economy and manufacturing base.
Here's a thought - ask yourself why the members of your local community go and shop at the grocery store to buy strawberries from Peru in June, when two miles away farmers are growing big juicy in season strawberries that taste way better? How can we encourage people to buy the food that is grown next door to them and convince them that buying everything from China and Mexico and Peru is going to cost them big time by using up a precious fuel supply!