United Front Against Austerity
Progressive Gazette
May 13, 2014
Farmers are hurting as input costs continue to
rise while grain prices continue to fall, leading to a drop of 54% in
income from 2012-2013, and expectations of tough times ahead.
Less than 0.7% of the US labor force is on the farm, compared
to 5.2% in the EU and 34.8% in China.
In 1935, we had 1 farm for every
19 Americans.
Today, we have 1 farm for every 142 – meaning fewer,
bigger farms and less farmers.
Isn't this just "technological
efficiency" at work?
Not really.
While average yields have risen over
time, yields of mature, small organic farms are comparable to those
mega-farms relying on GMOs, anhydrous ammonia and other synthetic
technologies.
Furthermore, let's not forget the result of all
this "efficiency" – to take America's corn crop, 40% becomes ethanol,
40% feeds livestock, 10% gets exported, and the remaining 10% becomes
your high-fructose corn syrup and GMO corn flakes.
What is the
solution for this neverending ag rollercoaster that puts families out of
business and turns our farms into factories?
The New Deal Parity Price!
If you don't know what that is, you have some reading to do:
http://againstausterity.org/article/ufaa-101-parity-agriculture