So the US government has started an educational program to teach Americans about where their food comes from, entitled, "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" (
the article in the Tri-City Herald) . Seems harmless. But 3 senators are arguing that it slights large farms & promotes small & organic farms that cater to the wealthy. To complicate this more, the budget for this program in $65 million (commodity producers have received $5 billion in the last two years). My question to you: should we (and if so, why) try to preserve a rural heritage in our country? What are the benefits & what are the costs?
We should really try to preserve a rural heritage in our country. There are large farms that mass produce grains to feed the world but the fact is we are really producing more food than we can or should eat. There may be a shortage of food in places other than the United States but you cannot deny the fact that Americans as a whole are overeating. What happened to variety and flavor? It seems to me that the major food group that we focus on in our country is meat and grain. The lack of variety and nutrition in our diet has been a huge factor in our health. More and more people are dealing with health problems at alarming rates. The cost of dealing with Americans heath care is far more expensive than the cost of converting to small farms. We have been able to survive since the beginning of time with small agricultural farms and the fact that Americans are so unhealthy is the major reason why I think that we need to move back to this rural heritage. Whose side or you on? Quality and health or volume and price? I believe that most Americans primary focus is on money and do not understand the value of quality and health until it is too late. Who are we to blame for our state of health? The government or ourselves? Student ID 821511 Jennifer Goodman
ReplyDeleteRural farmers supply fresh produce to local communities. Urban America is supplied by large scale farming practices. If we eliminate our rural heritage we will in effect be creating hundreds, even thousands of food deserts. People inhabiting these urban cities will have to rely on unhealthy processed foods to supply their diets. What is the cost of preventing obesity? More importantly, what is the cost of not preventing it? We must support our rural farmers because in turn we are supporting all rural communities in America.
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I believe we should, because in the long run it will benefit our environment and provide us with better quality food. Sure we may have to comform to the seasonal growth of some of these foods, but it will push us to be more creative with what we prepare. of course there will also always be the issue of cost, but i do believe the money we invest in this will be well worth it in the long run.
ReplyDeleteIf these large, monoculture farms were able to produce a crop with the same level of nutrition and quality as the small, local, organic farming operations do then I would agree with these three misguided senators. The fact is, the only reason these giant biological factories exist and are able to stay open is because of all of the subsidies that have been put in place over the years to keep them afloat. By the time you factor in the costs of transportation, chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and other factors that local farms don't have to contend with, it costs more to grow a bushel of corn than you can sell it for. Corn and soy are cheap, not because the products are cheap, but because you already paid for half of them with your tax dollars.
ReplyDeleteI feel it is important to preserve a sense of heritage but even more important is to preserve the health of our people and the bottom line. If the supermarket shelves showed the true cost of the food you buy, not just in dollars and cents, but in nutritional value as well, then organic foods from small, local farms would be moved to the bargain section.
JS859367
If we eliminate our rural heritage then what do we have left. large national companies that process their food and take away from a lot of the natural tastes of the product. If we do not support our local farmers then a lot of people will lose their jobs and not be able to support their families. To keep a healthy local community you have to put your money back into it. No local farmers means less people in the town meaning less people to come to eat at your restaurant. We have lived off the rural farms since the beginning of America. And these large companies are taking away a lot of what the food industry really was.
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We indeed should try to preserve a rural heritage in our country or country. I am still shocked at the video of "Teach Every Child about Food" by Jamie Oliver, where some elementary school children actually said tomato while looking at a potato. It is unacceptable to have children in such ignorance. As well as unacceptable to have there school only have hand held lunch, which is a nice way to say fast food and junk. Fries should not be considered the vegetable of the day that will be offered. Great benefits can come from supporting local farms not just keeping them in businesses but they are the ones that probably will be trying to be organic. Organic farming is very beneficial for our health and our atmosphere. We as civilization emit a lot of carbon-dioxide and using the methods of organic farming we can help minimize the already compromised atmosphere.In my opinion there is a higher cost to be payed if we dont even try to correct this mistakes.
ReplyDeleteI grew up on a farm in northern Minnesota and I understand the importance of local organic farming. On a small farm that caters to a select few I was able to see that I was giving people the opportunity to receive a product that has not been sprayed with harsh chemicals or been in shipping for a few weeks but; fresh, organic, quality produce. I also understand the need for large rural farming. Not only did we harvest our own crops and sell locally but my father has a business custom combining. We harvest thousands upon thousands of acres of wheat, corn, soy beans, peas and more. We farm for mass production with the use of conventional farming and we farm for our local community supplying them with fresh organic produce as well. In my opinion, like our diet, we need a variety of sources for food. Yes, organic food is safer and may be of higher quality, however, it is more expensive and not all Americans will have the necessary funding for such items. That is why it is important to keep the large farms in use. The mass production cuts the costs. It is similar to shopping at a bakery that sells a baguette for $5 where as the food mart that sells their baguettes for $2.50. The organic farm “bakery” may have a higher quality product but more than likely not all can afford it and will settle for the $2.50 baguette that uses ingredients from large farms. Keeping both small organic farms and large commercial farms is important.
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If we dont try and preserve our rural heritage than we are in danger of losing history, and even our identity as a nation. Its surprising though that the same people that subsidse GMO corn, soy, wheat, and conola want us to KNOW our food. If they really knew our food there would be no reason for them to try and hide the fact that we use GMO crops in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI can see everyone's in agreement here. I really don't think there is an argument to rid ourselves of local farms. I think both have value. Mass production does feed everyone and it is of acceptable quality. We all have choices don't we. For Big Farmers to say small farms cater to the affluent is ridiculous. Did you ever stop at a farm stand on your way home for some, just picked, vine ripened, tomatoes or corn, or summer squash, onions, and many other varieties of vegetables. Prices at a farm stand might be pennies more or less than the supermarkets inferior product. Supermarkets must get their climacteric fruits and veggies from far away so they're picked far in advance of there actual ripeness, which alters quality. Seasonality and locality affect both. I don't want to eat a tomato in December, does anyone? But they and almost every fruit and vegatable are available in Supermarkets year round. Like I said we all have choices and supermarkets DO sell their product year round. Seems the these three Senators must be from very big producing States, does anyone seriously believe the Mega-Farms are being slighted here? They do have value, but so does the small rural farmer. There's room for everyone at the table. Stop whining Senator's.
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