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Some things have negative externalities that ought to dealt with. Market forces are such that these negative externalities sometimes exist and so just resortin

Some things have negative externalities that ought to dealt with. Market forces are such that these negative externalities sometimes exist and so just resorting to, "This is what the market demands" is not sufficient and is bad policy.

repsilat 9y ago
Being able to give free bread to hungry people at the end of the day is a positive externality. I'm sure there are negative ones too (wasted water from farming excess wheat being one) but bakers pay for that, and if they're not cutting down it's because maintaining a sufficient inventory is worth more.
- yequalsx 9y ago
  Sure but the person I responded to made was making a point about basic economics and, at least to my reading of the comment, seemed to be of the opinion of let the market decide. Sometimes the market decision is not a good one.
- randomdata 9y ago
  > wasted water from farming excess wheat being one As a wheat farmer, I am curious to know what water you think is wasted? Wheat is normally harvested at 14% moisture, so what water content the crop has taken on by harvest is minimal. Otherwise it seems like the rain is going to do what the rain does. What am I missing? Do you mean that the rainwater could have been used to grow some other crop? The primary reason I grow wheat is for plant and soil health reasons in order to sustainably grow the pulses and other legumes that the consumer demands. There is not much money in wheat, but it is hard to argue with the ecosystem benefits that it provides. Crop rotation is a necessity for good farm management.
  - repsilat 9y ago
    I know nothing about wheat farming or it's environmental impacts, obviously my guesses were off the mark. Thanks for the correction on matters of fact, though it looks like our conclusions weren't really at odds -- mine being that the wastage that is paid for is manageable, and the externalities not outrageous.
- coldtea 9y ago
  >Being able to give free bread to hungry people at the end of the day is a positive externality. Not if the money of the BS subsidies and such could have gone to infrastructure works, education, and welfare programs, to stop them from being "hungry people" in a positive and enabling way instead of the "free bread" charity.
WalterSear 9y ago
I agree. After we shoot all the lawyers, let's get the journalists.

repsilat 9y ago

Being able to give free bread to hungry people at the end of the day is a positive externality. I'm sure there are negative ones too (wasted water from farming excess wheat being one) but bakers pay for that, and if they're not cutting down it's because maintaining a sufficient inventory is worth more.

yequalsx 9y ago
Sure but the person I responded to made was making a point about basic economics and, at least to my reading of the comment, seemed to be of the opinion of let the market decide. Sometimes the market decision is not a good one.
randomdata 9y ago
> wasted water from farming excess wheat being one As a wheat farmer, I am curious to know what water you think is wasted? Wheat is normally harvested at 14% moisture, so what water content the crop has taken on by harvest is minimal. Otherwise it seems like the rain is going to do what the rain does. What am I missing? Do you mean that the rainwater could have been used to grow some other crop? The primary reason I grow wheat is for plant and soil health reasons in order to sustainably grow the pulses and other legumes that the consumer demands. There is not much money in wheat, but it is hard to argue with the ecosystem benefits that it provides. Crop rotation is a necessity for good farm management.
- repsilat 9y ago
  I know nothing about wheat farming or it's environmental impacts, obviously my guesses were off the mark. Thanks for the correction on matters of fact, though it looks like our conclusions weren't really at odds -- mine being that the wastage that is paid for is manageable, and the externalities not outrageous.
coldtea 9y ago
>Being able to give free bread to hungry people at the end of the day is a positive externality. Not if the money of the BS subsidies and such could have gone to infrastructure works, education, and welfare programs, to stop them from being "hungry people" in a positive and enabling way instead of the "free bread" charity.

WalterSear 9y ago

I agree. After we shoot all the lawyers, let's get the journalists.