Market Farming

["jay gee" <jgj23 AT mindspring.com>]

Rick Williams wrote:

> There are some deep conflicts between wildlife support groups of that type
> and farming. I can not support anyone who wants wolves in the lower 48. We
> have seen what this does to livestock farmers. Small livestock farmers who
> are being wiped out in northern Minnesota.

Unfortunately, the deep conflicts between wildlife protection
groups and farmers of the type affected by predators are
unlikely to go away.

As you say Rick, you cannot abide anyone who wants wolves
in the lower 48.  On the flip side, I have no love for cattle ranchers
who think that bison ranchers should have their herds destroyed
because of brucellas (sp?).

If you raised bison instead of cattle, your crop would be able
to defend itself against the wolf.  I don't think domesticated
cattle are hardy enough any longer to stand up against a serious
natural predator.

This is a question of beauty in the eye of the beholder.

If your family has raised cows for the last hundred years on
the ranch where you live, you are more likely to view bison
as a threat, in spite of the fact that they do a much better
job of raising themselves than cows do, are less susceptible
to hard winters and the like.

Between the ranchers and developers, all native fauna
is expendable in pursuit of the almighty dollar.  Rather than
spending energy fighting Nature, smart farmers and ranchers
need to learn to live with it, in harmony.


Jay Gee
not a farmer -- but interested in farming