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Incentivizing large corporate ranching conglomerates is not the solution, as agricultural diversity is our strength, especially in products and sources. Maybe s

Incentivizing large corporate ranching conglomerates is not the solution, as agricultural diversity is our strength, especially in products and sources. Maybe small time ranching could be encouraged through tax rescindment programs?

Retric 2y ago
What agricultural diversity? The 89% of farms are “small” and produce 18% of the value on 45% of the acres. They are generally more hobbies than business, and as such rarely efficient enough to be the sole source of income for people. Non commercial farms are plentiful, but not necessarily useful. “Family farms” are more impactful, but that’s including operations with 50,000+ acres and large workforces.
- Galatians4_16 2y ago
  A lot of times these 89% are not legally allowed to sell their products, as USDA and FDA require them to outsiurce processing. In the few cases where farmers just do it anyways, the long arm of the law strikes with extreme prejudice, e.g. see Amish farmers selling unpasteurized yoghurt and cheese –products which derive their value by being spoiled through probiotic micro organisms. Loosen up regulations, but allow everyone to be accountable again, and common law will sort it out.
  - Retric 2y ago
    If less than 1% means ‘a lot’ to you then sure those are meaningful problems. But, from my perspective most of what’s going on gets zero attention because it’s boring. I know a lot of small farmers who aren’t struggling because that’s not their primary income it’s just a hobby / lifestyle. Making or losing a few grand per year on a hobby just isn’t that strange, but toss growing food into the mix and people assume it’s more meaningful. Larger operations are run like any other business and some of them fail through mismanagement just like any other businesses.
    - Galatians4_16 2y ago
      If Wickard vs. Filburn (4) and similar laws/decisions were to be repealed, incentives could stack up and growing your own food to save money, and sell intrastate, may become popular again. 4) https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/317/111 https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/317/111
      - Retric 2y ago
        The effort vs economic rewards of growing your own food is horrible. Some people enjoy it as a hobby, I know many of them. But it’s not something that’ll ever really catch on by repealing such laws alone. Automation/economies of scale + government subsidies + many farmers having massive amounts of specialized knowledge and skills vs what amounts to subsistence agriculture is just wildly in favor of large scale operations.
        Galatians4_16 2y ago
        Farm subsidies enable international shipping to the extent of putting foreign farmers out of work. (1) This also works in reverse, (2) artificially destroying the pricing mechanism, and externalizing costs to the taxpayer. 1) https://en.irefeurope.org/publications/online-articles/article/how-do-agricultural-subsidies-in-wealthy-countries-harm-low-income-countries/ https://en.irefeurope.org/publications/online-articles/artic... 2) https://www.farmpolicyfacts.org/the-bitter-impact-of-foreign-farm-subsidies/ https://www.farmpolicyfacts.org/the-bitter-impact-of-foreign...
        Retric 2y ago
        I’m not saying they are a good thing, just that they exist. Hunting by comparison has a vastly better ROI if you want some food independence.

Retric 2y ago

What agricultural diversity? The 89% of farms are “small” and produce 18% of the value on 45% of the acres. They are generally more hobbies than business, and as such rarely efficient enough to be the sole source of income for people. Non commercial farms are plentiful, but not necessarily useful. “Family farms” are more impactful, but that’s including operations with 50,000+ acres and large workforces.

Galatians4_16 2y ago
A lot of times these 89% are not legally allowed to sell their products, as USDA and FDA require them to outsiurce processing. In the few cases where farmers just do it anyways, the long arm of the law strikes with extreme prejudice, e.g. see Amish farmers selling unpasteurized yoghurt and cheese –products which derive their value by being spoiled through probiotic micro organisms. Loosen up regulations, but allow everyone to be accountable again, and common law will sort it out.
- Retric 2y ago
  If less than 1% means ‘a lot’ to you then sure those are meaningful problems. But, from my perspective most of what’s going on gets zero attention because it’s boring. I know a lot of small farmers who aren’t struggling because that’s not their primary income it’s just a hobby / lifestyle. Making or losing a few grand per year on a hobby just isn’t that strange, but toss growing food into the mix and people assume it’s more meaningful. Larger operations are run like any other business and some of them fail through mismanagement just like any other businesses.
  - Galatians4_16 2y ago
    If Wickard vs. Filburn (4) and similar laws/decisions were to be repealed, incentives could stack up and growing your own food to save money, and sell intrastate, may become popular again. 4) https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/317/111 https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/317/111
    - Retric 2y ago
      The effort vs economic rewards of growing your own food is horrible. Some people enjoy it as a hobby, I know many of them. But it’s not something that’ll ever really catch on by repealing such laws alone. Automation/economies of scale + government subsidies + many farmers having massive amounts of specialized knowledge and skills vs what amounts to subsistence agriculture is just wildly in favor of large scale operations.
      - Galatians4_16 2y ago
        Farm subsidies enable international shipping to the extent of putting foreign farmers out of work. (1) This also works in reverse, (2) artificially destroying the pricing mechanism, and externalizing costs to the taxpayer. 1) https://en.irefeurope.org/publications/online-articles/article/how-do-agricultural-subsidies-in-wealthy-countries-harm-low-income-countries/ https://en.irefeurope.org/publications/online-articles/artic... 2) https://www.farmpolicyfacts.org/the-bitter-impact-of-foreign-farm-subsidies/ https://www.farmpolicyfacts.org/the-bitter-impact-of-foreign...
        Retric 2y ago
        I’m not saying they are a good thing, just that they exist. Hunting by comparison has a vastly better ROI if you want some food independence.