Market Farming

[Leigh Hauter <lh AT pressroom.com>]

Title: [market-farming] Re: Farm Bureau

>  It would help to keep
> in
> mind that FB does not legislate
> agricultural or consumer policy, but is
> only a small influence on the Big
> Picture.

I'm sorry, the fb spends a lot of its members' money lobbying in dc.  And while the fb might be good in some local areas, nationally it always sides with big business, big ag. Just look at where it threw its muscle with the recent farm bill -- Corporate farms over family farms. Big money over working farmers.  This isn't speculation, these are facts.  Think of any aspect of the farm bill where the interests of family farms came in conflict with large corporate interests and then look at the record.  The FB was on the side of big money.

(now, of course, some on this might argue that this is the way to go, that corporate farming is the future -I, on the other hand, prefer to spend my time and money defending my interests, not giving it to those who wish to destroy my way of life).

For decades our farmers, ranchers, processors and sellers have been told to "Get big or get out!"  And so they did.  But imagine their surprise when only two buyers showed up at the auction, and they came in the same car!

Food Chain with Michael Olson