Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - Fw: Abstracts of New Papers on Web Site (4-5 pages)

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Elizabeth Pike" <pike AT always-online.com>
  • To: "market farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Fw: Abstracts of New Papers on Web Site (4-5 pages)
  • Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2000 11:49:24 -0500


Of particular interest to us all!--Liz

--- Original Message -----
From: Ikerd, John E. <IkerdJ AT missouri.edu>
To: 'Elizabeth Pike' <pike AT always-online.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2000 10:47 AM
Subject: RE: Abstracts of New Papers on Web Site (4-5 pages)


Elizabeth;

Forgot to say that I would be glad to have you forward posting about
my
papers to anyone you think might be interested.

John E. Ikerd
5121 S. Brock Rodgers Rd
Columbia, MO 65201 USA
Phone: (573) 874-0408
Fax: [520] 569-7659
E-mail: JEIkerd AT aol.com <mailto:JEIkerd AT aol.com>
Web: http://hometown.aol.com/jeikerd



----- Original Message -----
From: Ikerd, John E. <IkerdJ AT missouri.edu>
To: <sanet-mg AT ces.ncsu.edu>
Sent: Monday, February 28, 2000 3:45 PM
Subject: Abstracts of New Papers on Web Site (4-5 pages)


> New Papers on the Web:
>
> I have just placed eleven new papers on my web site - all are papers
> presented at various conferences over the past year. Some are
essentially
> updates of previous papers, others are largely new combinations of
elements
> used in previous papers, and others are pretty much new material -
at least
> for me. I am a firm believer that nothing is ever completely
original. The
> only concept of "new" that we know is simply "new arrangements" of
the same
> old stuff - new wholes, if you will, made up of old parts.
>
> Check them out at my University web site:
> <http://www.ssu.missouri.edu/faculty/jikerd>
> http://www.ssu.missouri.edu/faculty/jikerd
>
> or at my new personal homepage: <http://hometown.aol.com/jeikerd>
> http://hometown.aol.com/jeikerd
>
> I am officially retired from the University of Missouri, as of
February 1,
> but will be able to keep my University web site for at least another
five
> months.
>
> A brief description of each paper so you can decide which, if any,
are worth
> your attention. The abstracts are ordered so that each may draw on
concepts
> covered in previous abstracts, not by date or order found on the web
site.
>
> New Hope for the Future of Farming (This one may not be on for a
couple of
> days)
>
> There is hope for the future of farming. Having hope does not mean
believing
> that things are going well for farmers or that they are obviously
headed for
> quick success. But rather it means believing that farmers have the
ability
> to continue to work for success is spite of growing difficulties.
Hope does
> not imply optimism concerning the future. Obviously, there is no
certainty
> that everything is going to turn out well for farmers. Instead, hope
stems
> from the possibility of rediscovering ways to farm that make sense,
> regardless of how it all turns out. Hope arises from the conviction
that
> something is the right thing to do and from the commitment to do it.
A new
> post-industrial philosophy or paradigm for farming is arising under
the
> conceptual umbrella of sustainable agriculture. These new American
farmers
> are the hope for the future of agriculture. Hope gives them the
strength to
> continually try new things, even though they are working against
seemingly
> insurmountable odds. They are the explorers, the pioneers, on the
new
> frontier of farming in America. They suffer frustrations, hardships,
and
> even failures - but, such is the nature of being pioneers. Hope is
found in
> fact that more and more are finding ways to succeed. Quoting Vaclav
Havel,
> writer, reformer, and president of the Czech Republic: "Life is too
precious
> to permit its devaluation by living pointlessly, emptily, without
meaning,
> without love, and finally, without hope."
>
> Rethinking the Economics of Self-Interests
>
> Adam Smith wrote a book in 1776, The Wealth of Nations, which still
provides
> the theoretical underpinning of contemporary economic thinking. In
the world
> of 200+ years ago, Smith observed that as people pursued their
individual
> self-interests, they were guided, as if by an invisible hand, to
serve the
> greater societal interests as well. Smith's observations were
probably
> accurate for the economy of his day. Economist have turned his
observations
> into economic theories, or dogma, that are assumed to be relevant to
all
> societies for all times. But, the world has changed over the past
200 years.
> In fact, none of the critical assumptions needed for the invisible
hand to
> function are present in today's economy. There is no logical reason
to
> believe that pursuit of individual short-run self-interests results
in the
> greatest long run societal good. In addition contemporary economics,
even if
> it were relevant to today's world, is fundamentally incapable of
addressing
> the most important issues confronting modern society - interpersonal
> relationships, including issues of equity and justice, and
ecological
> issues, which are fundamentally about the interconnectedness of
things.
>
> The New American Farm
>
> American Agriculture as we have know it is coming to an end. In
fact, there
> will be no future in farming unless we have the courage to challenge
> conventional wisdom based on the economics of short-run,
self-interests.
> However, once we realize that economics is nothing more than a
belief
> system, that it is not based on fundamental truths, we can begin to
change
> the conceptual foundation for the future of agriculture and for
society as a
> whole. We have no obligation to accept the market as God. A new
> post-industrial model for American Agriculture is arising under the
> conceptual umbrella of sustainability that is based on a higher
concept of
> self interests - a concept that recognizes personal, interpersonal,
and
> spiritual values as but different levels of self-interests, and
thus, as
> equally important dimensions of quality of life. The New American
Farm is
> being developed under many names and takes on many forms, but some
> fundamental principles of this new paradigm for farming are
beginning to
> emerge.
>
> The Small Farm Revolution
>
> It's time for a revolution in American Agriculture. As farms grow
ever
> larger and fewer, and corporations gain increasing control of the
food
> system, farmers are being told that they must either given in to get
larger
> faster, give in to corporate control or get out. However, there are
better
> alternatives, better ways to farm and to live. Americans need to be
told the
> truth about what's happening in American Agriculture. The time for
quietness
> has passed. A new type of American farm is arising under the
conceptual
> umbrella of sustainable agriculture. The New American Farm is a
management
> intensive farm and thus creates opportunities for more farms, not
less, on
> smaller, rather than larger, farms. Industrial farming systems are
> management extensive -- specialization, standardization, and
centralization
> allow fewer people to manage more resources, including more people,
and
> thus, require fewer farm decision makers per acre or per dollar
invested in
> farming. The New American Farm is management intensive - it relies
on
> diversification, individuality, and decentralization of decision
making to
> reduce production costs and increase value of products. This new
paradigm
> for farming creates opportunities for smaller farms to compete
economically
> with larger farms while protecting the natural environment and
helping to
> build viable rural communities. However, it will require a
revolution in
> American agriculture to displace corporate farming and to make room
for the
> New American Farm.
>
> New Farmers for a New Century
>
> The emergence of a new, post-industrial, paradigm for farming has
> significant implications for the beginning farmers. Conventional
farming
> system have become management "extensive" and thus are heavily
dependent on
> capital and off-farm inputs - they generally require a lot of land,
> machinery and equipment, and operating capital just to earn a decent
living
> for a family. However New Century Farms, based on the concept of
> sustainability, rely on intensive management strategies,
substituting
> resource management, and to some extent labor, for land, capital,
and
> off-farm inputs. As a consequence, New Century Farms require less
land and
> capital for beginning farmers. However, these new farms do require
more
> understanding of nature, including human nature, and more knowledge
> concerning the management of complex systems. Since the knowledge
needed for
> these new farms most often emerges in the form of insight,
intuition, and
> judgment, it often must be acquired through personal study,
apprenticeships,
> and actual work experience. This type of knowledge is more readily
available
> than is capital, for those who are willing to take the time and
effort to
> acquire it - although reluctance on the part of lenders to provide
any
> capital for New Farm investments remains an obstacle for beginning
farmers.
>
> Hallmarks of Sustainable Farming Systems
>
> Farming sustainably is no easy task, but more and more farmers in
the U.S.
> and around the world are finding ways to succeed. There are no blue
prints
> or recipes for sustainable farming, but some fundamental principles
and
> characteristics are beginning to emerge. First sustainable farmers
pursue a
> higher concept of self-interest - they seek harmony among
individual,
> interpersonal, and intergenerational rewards as they balance the
economic,
> social, and ecological dimensions of their farming operations. They
pursue
> this higher self-interest by producing in harmony with nature - they
reduce
> costs by relying more on the inherent productivity of natural
systems,
> harvesting solar energy. They focus on increasing the value of the
things
> they sell by giving customers the things they value most rather than
trying
> to sell them things they really don't want. They recognize that we
are all
> different, that we don't all want the same things, and that mass
markets
> really don't meet our needs and wants. They focus on doing the
things that
> they do best. They recognize that we are all different as producers,
as well
> as consumers, and that when we do the things that we are really good
at, or
> the things we really like to do, that we are more efficient
producers and
> happier people. In general they focus on uniqueness, the uniqueness
of their
> resource base, the uniqueness of their customers, and their
uniqueness as
> producers, to achieve a higher quality of life.
>
> Healing and Creativity: A Whole Vision for Rural America
>
> The fundamental purpose of rural communities in agricultural areas
has been
> destroyed by the industrialization of agriculture. The sustainable
> agriculture model, with its emphasis on creating more opportunities
for
> successful smaller farms, protecting the natural environment, and
enhancing
> overall quality of life has the potential to provide a new
foundation upon
> which viable rural communities may be rebuilt. To realize this
potential,
> however, people must have the courage to cast off the contemporary
pessimism
> regarding the inevitability of continued rural decay. We must be
willing to
> challenge conventional economics which is largely responsible for,
or at
> least provides the rational for, the continued destruction of rural
> communities. We must also realize that society in general is in the
midst of
> a great transition from the industrial era to something that is
> fundamentally different. Sustainable agriculture is but one small
part of a
> much larger paradigm shift that permeates the whole of modern
society. The
> future of rural America belongs to those who can find a realistic
vision of
> shared hope for the future and who have the courage to claim it.
>
> Environmental Risks Facing Farmers
>
> Farming has always been a risky business, but environmental risks
are
> relatively new to farmers. Few had even heard the word environment
before
> Rachel Carson's Silent Spring was published in the early 1960s.
However
> there is a growing body of evidence that conventional agriculture
poses a
> significant threat to the health and integrity of the natural
environment.
> The agricultural establishment argues for science-based risk
assessment
> before any restrictions are placed on farming inputs or practices.
But in
> fact, "risk" assessment quite simply is not possible in cases
involving
> natural ecosystems. "Risk" assessment requires that a probability
> distribution of possible outcomes is either known or can be
accurately
> estimated. But, natural ecosystems are simply too complex to
determine
> whether the probability of damage is one in a million or one in
five. We can
> estimate how many rats will die when they are fed a given chemical,
but this
> if fundamentally different from estimating the probability of damage
to the
> environment from using that same chemical under actual, real-world
> conditions. We know that there are threats to the environment from
> agriculture - threats to human health, to water and air quality, to
soil
> productivity, and to overall ecosystem integrity. But, we don't know
and
> can't even estimate the magnitude of risks we face. All we can do is
> "guess." The stakes are immensely high, and the outcomes are
inherently
> uncertain. Under these conditions we should apply the precautionary
> principle - proceeding if and only when there is a consensus that we
can
> proceed safely.
>
> Organic Agriculture Faces Specialization of Production Systems; the
Economic
> Stakes
>
> Recent growth in markets for organic products has sparked the
interest of
> conventional, industrial agriculture in organic farming. Those who
laughed
> at organic farmers only a few years ago now want to be organic
producers.
> However, they have not had a change of heart, they are simply after
the
> profits. The only way the large corporate firms can compete
successfully in
> organics is through industrialization of organic production and
marketing
> systems. Increasing sales through natural food chains, which for the
most
> part have been consolidated under two or three corporate ownership
> structures, provides clear signs of industrialization. The recent
debate
> about what practices would be allowed in national organic standards
provides
> a clear example of corporate interests in the future of organics.
Industrial
> firms need uniform standards, national and international, to
neutralize the
> advantage of small, local producers in supplying local markets. Once
such
> standards are established, those who can meet the minimum standards
at the
> lowest cost will win the competition - and you can count on
standards
> eventually accommodating large-scale production methods. Systems
which
> facilitate mass distribution and mass marketing inherently favor
large-scale
> mass production. Those who are interested in developing a
sustainable,
> organic food system, need to recognize that an industrial organic
system is
> no more sustainable than is the conventional agricultural system.
>
> Foundational Principles; Soils, Stewardship, and Sustainability
>
> All of life arises from the soil. This principle needs to be a part
of every
> environmental education program in every school and youth program in
the
> world. Pure air and pure water alone cannot support life. Thus, the
> sustainability of life on earth depends on sustaining a productive
soil. In
> addition soil, at least the mineral fraction of soil, is a
nonrenewable
> resource - we must conserve and protect what we have because it will
require
> billions of years to make more. So, stewardship of the soil must be
one of
> the foundation blocks for sustainability. True stewardship means
that we are
> willing to take care of something for the benefit of someone else.
Soil
> conservation has economic rewards, but those rewards are not
sufficient to
> ensure the long run sustainability of agricultural productivity.
True
> stewardship is rooted in spirituality - in a felt need to find
harmony with
> some higher order of things, to fulfill one's purpose on earth.
> Sustainability requires a fundamentally different approach to soils
> management - a holistic approach, which focuses on building and
maintaining
> soil health rather than treating deficiencies. In addition, we must
be
> willing to address the spiritual, along with the economic and
social, in
> managing soils sustainably.
>
> Real Economics of Factory Livestock
>
> In an earlier paper I addressed my top ten reasons why rural
communities
> should be concerned about large-scale, confinement animal feeding
operations
> (CAFOs). This paper addresses some of the same basic issues, but in
a more
> proactive format. The economic arguments in favor of CAFOs are
addressed one
> by one, by pointing out the short comings and outright fallacies of
each
> economic argument. In general, the arguments in favor of CAFOs are
all based
> on "short-run" economic self-interests - the belief that those with
the
> money to make things happen should be allowed to do whatever they
choose to
> do where ever they choose to do it. The arguments against CAFOs are
> generally environmental or social in nature, or take a long run
sustainable
> economic perspective. Rural people who want to maintain a desirable
quality
> of life in their communities must be willing to confront
conventional
> economic "dogma" and stand firm in their rights to protect their
community
> against ecological and social exploitation by outside corporate
investors.
>
>





  • Fw: Abstracts of New Papers on Web Site (4-5 pages), Elizabeth Pike, 03/01/2000

Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page