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  • From: Mark <mpludwig@facstaff.wisc.edu>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [permaculture] Potato farming
  • Date: Mon, 02 Sep 2002 08:57:03 -0500

At 12:04 PM 8/31/02 +0000, you wrote:
>Corporate industrial farming in the USA is highly subsidized
>by the government, and the availability of cheap commercial
>fertilizers and water for irrigation makes them profitable,
>but not efficient.

While I'm aware of issues around 'corporate industrial agribizz' it was
really brought into a new perspective reading "The Botany of Desire"
about the author's visit to potato farmers in Idaho where input costs
average $1950 per acre and return on yield $2000 - no wonder they need
3000 acres per farm to be 'economically viable'. All depends on use of
ground water, massive applications of chemicals (via irrigation system)
and government subsidies to produce the right potatos for MacDonalds
french fries. The soil is sterilised i.e. clinically dead, crops
broadacre hydroponically grown and when the land is salted or poisoned
and can no longer produce they buy up another 3000 acres of dessert and
do the same thing all over again. These are the farmers clamouring for GM
potatoes so they can reduce their chemical input costs a little - maybe
by $50 an acre to double their return.
Robyn

Conventional potato farming is about the worst for chemical and water use. I mention this so you can...
1. always buy them organic or grow them your self.
2. not associate all types of industrial ag being that extreme.
M

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Mark P. Ludwig
Poultry Research Lab
University of Wisconsin -Madison
608-262-1730 WK
608-846-7125 HM




  • [permaculture] Potato farming, Mark, 09/02/2002

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