I checked in with a dear friend the other day - who knows more about agriculture than most and who has a really fine mind. We found that we were on the opposite ends of what we felt had to be done. Being real friends, neither wanted to push the other too far - for there was no negotiating room. We were like Catholics and Protestants in 1600. So we got to talking about our kids and the summer instead.
This encounter has been very disturbing for me. How could we be so far apart? So here are the 10 questions I would like to pose to all of you who hope that we can somehow find a way to reinvigorate our existing system.
If you feel like it - please write in with your answers.
- In the entire 40 year history of looking to exports as the answer for farmers, when you expect farmers to make money and more important to earn a decent ROI? (Farmers returns have dropped all through this period) What is it about your plan that will turn this around?
- As the food distribution system has become more concentrated, Canada has the most monopolistic system in the world, the power of the distributors has crushed the earning power of producers - how do you plan to have farmers sell through this system and make money?
- When do you expect Peak Oil to affect agriculture?
- What do you think the effects of much higher oil costs will be on farmers with low margins?
- Tell me why you think that easy credit is going to come back and that farmers will have access to the kind of working capital that they need to stay in operation?
- The average age of farmers today is about 60 - who do you expect to take over the farms that exist today? How will the successors be able to finance this type of operation with such a low ROI? With a 10 year horizon for this to happen, what is your plan?
- Have you noticed that there are more and more health issues with our food system? Both in terms of infection and poor human health ( 30% of Americans now obese) What do you think are the real drivers for these problems? When outbreaks are routine and when 50% of Americans are obese do you think that this will go away as an issue? How will this affect our skyrocketing health costs?
- How are all the millions without work or any hope for a job with livable pay going to cope and eat?
- Are all the jobs going to come back? Please answer with Why and How if your answer is yes
- Do you think that government can afford to support the large percentage of people who cannot work? If so how? If not, then what happens?
Please help me here. I need to understand how the current system can be fixed.
