Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[<activism98201@verizon.net>]

Hope and market-reality can conflict.

I didn't state what I hoped for or what I wanted, I was indicating caution.  
People need to consider that these [US] agri-fuel businesses have a huge leg 
up with existing (and likely increasing) subsidies!

Reflect on the fact that Hummers are subsidized by the US government.  They 
US government (run by the wealthy elites) will continue to subsidize the 
rich.  They'll also ensure that THEY get their food as well.  All the while 
food (never mind the fuel, as it'll become too expensive for the lower 
classes) will become more expensive (read "more difficult to obtain") for the 
majority.

Forced to break up (monopolies)?  Two words: revolving door.  The same folks 
who oversee the conduct of business are the very folks who are major 
stakeholders.

Again, I believe that I offered a direction on this, and that's to NOT 
purchase goods that travel long distances.  Food prices MUST go up NOW in 
order to stave off attacks by the agri-fuel business.  Once they have control 
of all of our farmland it's going to be too late (the only correction is then 
likely from a major revolution with reallocation of land).


-Mark Nagel
Everett, WA


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From: Gloria Baikauskas <gcb49@flash.net>
Date: 2007/04/29 Sun AM 12:29:41 CDT
To: Healthy soil and sustainable growing <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] happenings to get fired up about growing

What makes you think the large agribusinesses won't sell off farms, etc, if 
oil/gas becomes more expensive?  Their bottom line is what keeps them going 
as they are.  When things become less profitable they probably will not buy 
up more land they can't handle because of the cost...or worse the lack of 
fuel.       It is also somewhat a possibility that they will be accused of a 
monopoly...and forced to break up.  Don't laugh.  It happened before to the 
telephone company, for one.  </DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>Greedy folks go for 
things that can make them more money with the least output.  If it becomes a 
problem, they cut their losses and go to something new that looks more 
promising.  </DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>I do realize the opposite of what I 
wrote can also happen....but it is my hope that it won't.  I truly hope that 
farms will become smaller again.  The problem as I see it is going to be 
finding farmers to farm them properly.  Properly is the most important word 
in that sentence.      Gloria