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Re: John Hagelin: Old vs New Approach in Agriculture




B. McClinton <b.mcclinton@sk.sympatico.ca> wrote in article
<326C63E6.51E7@sk.sympatico.ca>...
> 
> Historically, the plow has caused far more land degradation than
fertilizers and 
> pesticides. Afterall, how fertile is the "fertile crescent," now? The
negative 
> effects of soil erosion have been documented throughout history.....

> ....With a growing world population, we need to be able to use all the
management tools 
> available including cultural, biological and chemical technologies to be 
> sustainable.
> 
> Blair McClinton
> b.mcclinton@sk.sympatico.ca

Blair...Interesting thoughts ... Financial sustainability (survival) is
fundamental.  But is the answer to keep perpetuating the same old
distructive patterns just because they marginally work.  They have been
able to squeeze additional production for a period of time but at what
cost.  Is our soil any healthier that it was in 1964 before the
intensification of high yield production strategies. The family farmer is
being driven out; the costs of increased agriculture yields verses the
profits are marginalizing the small producers who may really have a stake
in protecting the land; and the soil is not getting any healthier. Are
current production techniques- even those using new technologies really
sustainable with the increasing world demand?  It almost seems like there
is a need for a new paradigm shift...    I like these ideas of moving
toward increasing the health of the soil, diversifying the varieties of
crops grown, and more local self sufficiency. 

Your thoughts are good, but of course you know that very little of the food
grown today is directly consumed.  Your scenario of farmers driven to plant
in protected, sensitive environmental areas is more apt to occur from just
plain greed than need.  Wouldn't it happen in any system? 

Food is a secondary consequece in most modern agriculture. In Iowa where I
live it's hard to find an ear of fresh corn unless you grow it yourself. 
It goes to ADM for corn syrup solids for coffee whiteners, sweeteners and
industrial uses. Meanwhile there is an oversupply of milk and milk
products. A small change in our eating and use habits could easily make
room for an increasing population. 

It begs the question of what truly ideal agriculture would be... that
benefits the land as well as serving the financial needs of the
agricultural producer and the health of the comsumer.  These exotic
desparate attempts at forcing more production from already strained natural
resources (Monsanto's Roundup-ready seed for instance) seem destined to
fail in the long run.  Isn't it more of a bandaid than a long term
solution. Despite all the hype, and the sensible sound of your logic, I
think a little thought and creativity in the other direction (health and
sustainability) would be valuable for everybody. 






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