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market-farming - college ag program competes with farmers

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  • From: "Julie M. Willingham" <farm2gates AT excite.com>
  • To: market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: college ag program competes with farmers
  • Date: Tue, 2 May 2000 12:34:04 -0700 (PDT)



I am preparing a response to the president, appropriate dean, and ag program
director of our local community college and could use some ideas.

This program is provided equipment, supplies, seed, and technical assistance
by (conventional)industry, local megafarmers, and various state crop
commissions. Students pay for classes where they plant, grow, and harvest
the crops.

Last year the ag director sold red potatoes at 8lbs/$1(!!!)and Yukon Golds
at 4 lbs/$1 at our local farmers market where I was selling (trying to)
organic potatoes at $1 per pound. (However they gave away 11,000 lbs of
potatoes to local foodbanks, etc.)

This year they are doing spuds again, but also plant to sell squash, melons,
tomatoes, corn, and other popular crops at 2 farmers markets. In addition,
they want to expand their crop program to include asparagus, grapes,
berries, and fruit trees. (And no, none of this is organic ag or even
sustainable ag.)

This has really made me mad, because I have just finished planting
asparagus, grapes, and raspberries myself. My response is basically going to
be that the college receives its inputs for close to nothing, has students
pay to do all the work, and doesn't have to pay any taxes of any kind. How
can a farmer like me possibly compete? Especially when they sell their crops
for so little?

I also believe that most state entities are prohibited by law from competing
with private enterprise.

Please respond if you can help me with my argument against them.

Julie M. Willingham
The Farm of Two Gates
zone 6b in the low, dry, hot part of Washington





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