Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Food Fight...L&C

We got big problems with dinner. California grows one-forth of our fresh produce. It is suffering a water drought. It has cut back its water supply to 25 million people within the state. This ban also effects over one million acres of farmland. By the way farmers use 80% of the state's water. Its only water plan is to cut back, seek supplies from other states and hope for rain. Too bad my book isn't published because I would have an answer for them, the US and world.
Closer Look
Farmers within the state knew the situation and they are trying various methods like machines that indicate the best time to water, soil analysis and outside the box consultation. There is one other major problem. Pollination.
Bees
perform the pollination, but bee farmers are also suffering from collapse of their hives. Bees are dying in serious numbers with no present answers, although many scientist are looking into the problem. Many bee farmers think it is because of all the chemicals in pesticides.
Case in point: Almond growers in California get their bees from a hive that comes all the way across to the state from Georgia. Three thousand miles! The same farmer of bees has to back track to the peach state to allow his bees to relax from toxins and pesticides with this trip, so his bees can complete his contracts to pollinate apples in Pennsylvania, blue berries in Maine and then, in route back to Georgia, stops in Virgina, North Carolina and South Carolina. This is a serious problem that all farmers are facing.
Then, we have litigation with GMOs. Seed suppliers like Monsanto have gotten the courts to say for example, a farmer uses "old seed" for his corn, but on both sides of him are farmers who use the new modified seeds. Monsanto sues the middle farmer because the company says this farmer has benefited from its seed, although that farmer did not purchase Monsanto's seeds. Farmers are under threat to use the GMOs or face being sued by deep pockets. Our nation and small farmers are losing in this battle.
Detroit
Did you know that all supermarkets have left the city. They suffer from food drought. In addition because so many have left the city, the local government has fostered the idea to allow the empty lots to be used to grow food. They have also supplied a abandoned building for a farmers market for its citizens. I like that idea, however consider the rest of the nation. In many localities like New Jersey, people cannot sell produce on road side stands. They want tax dollars, red tape permits and more.
Finally, a farm bill was passed by Congress last week, but food stamps were cut and the bottom line is that only 2% of the population grows food for the other 98%. I know this is a very dangerous situation because every plant that I ever had died on me. Can you grow your own?
Liars and Crooks: The Congressional Budget Office(CBO)stated last week that Obama-care will result in more part-time workers just as I predicted. At present we have a record number of part-time workers in the so-called recovery at 28million people. How do you provide for yourself, never mind a family on part-time wages?