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Re: British Beef Situation



In article <4lbsfi$d9u@news1.exit109.com>, "Nathan D. Justus"
<nathan@exit109.com> writes
>
>Not only that, but this also assumes that the current method of producing food 
>in the United States is SUSTAINABLE for the long term (and I mean long term - 
>50 to 100 years more) which it is NOT.  We are using up ground water faster 
>than replacing it, and turning rich farmland into dust that is, essentially, a 
>holder for the 'hydroponic solutions' of fertilizer and water.

I don't think the world is going to run out of fertiliser any time soon. 
Particularly if you understand the difference between 'ores' and 
'deposits' and 'mines'. It would indeed help if sewage waste was 
recycled back onto farmland, and refuse similarly had it's plant 
nutrients recycled. However this usually means 'someone else's farmland' 
and 'NIMBY', which rather defeats the object. So US farming on this 
score is sustainable indefinitely.

As to water usage, I cannot comment since I write from the UK. I do, 
however, note that many ancient civilisations in The Mediterranean, 
India, South America and other places have disappeared because of lack 
of water.

>We cannot continue to farm and produce food like this.  It will kill us all.  
>But how do we change?  Tell a farmer "Well, you can only grow half as much as 
>your neighbors because you've got to preserve the land."?  He/she will laugh 
>at you - a farm has mortgages, taxes, etc. too.

Not to mention how many people in other parts of the world would starve 
as a result, of course. And voters who might be a tad upset if their 
food prices rise by 500%.

>I know that yields using organic growth techniques are as high as those using 
>chemicals HOWEVER during the transition period they are NOT - the land must be 
>able to recover from the damage done to it, and the farmer must learn organic 
>techniques.

Blather. A pipe dream.

Farmers in pre-fertiliser and pre-spray days farmed organically and 
achieved yields typically less than 1/3 of what we have today (UK). They 
actually knew what they were doing, were pretty smart and had 2000+ 
years of experience. If you think that, with much of the knowledge lost, 
and with little experience you are going to do any better then you 
merely expose your ignorance. I take it you are a practising organic 
farmer earning your entire income from it?

>Further, what do we do about the groundwater exhaustion?

I would worry about that, myself.

>>Each part of the world should be responsible for feeding and
>>caring for its own population.  Creating huge elaborate food
>>creation and distribution organizations is not the answer.
>>
>
>I agree completely with that as well.

Why stop there. Include manufactured products too. Fortress America. Let 
the world go by outside, war, starvation, flood and epidemic and laugh, 
why not?

Most Americans I know wouldn't be happy about that, they DO care about 
others.

------------------------------- 
'Oz     "When I knew little, all was certain. The more I learnt,
        the less sure I was. Is this the uncertainty principle?"




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