Re: consumers

Keith Turner (pir565@freenet.mb.ca)
Mon, 22 Jan 1996 10:21:01 -0600 (CST)

> >This message is for Keith, who suggested I view this web site. I have only
> >browsed briefly, but have one simple comment to make about the section which
> >deals with "consumers", and this is basically my opinion which I am giving you.
> >I think it is important to stress that whenever a consumer purchases a food
> >item, that consumer is essentially supporting the agricultural system which
> >produced that item. So by purchasing products which are produced on
> sustainable

> >back to the last sentence above: produced that item. So by purchasing
> >products which are produced on sustainable or organic farms consumers are
> >voting to support those production systems. The bottom line is if consumers
> >expect farmers to farm sustainably, consumers have to put their money where
> >their mouths are.
> >
> >Well, that's my $0.02 worth for the day. You seem to have done a very good
> >job putting together a comprehensive web site.

Actually in the video, Clark Philips (organic farmer, New Brunswick)
has the final word,saying "Whether thing get better in the future or not
is up to the people who buy the food. If they decide that the food they
want to buy is going to be grown in a way that is good for the land, for
the people who grow it, good for them, then they'll buy it. If they
decide they want to continue to spend only twelve to fifteen percent of
their income on food that they eat at home, they don't give a damn what
happens to the soil, or the people growing it, then it won't change.
That is, the decision is in the hands of the people that are buying
the food"

Check your university library to see if they have a copy of the video.
We've placed them in many university libraries in the US and Canada, (And
many high schools in Canada, most notably in Manitoba, Alberta, and
Toronto) Ordering information is available through the home page.

Anyone interested in seeing the home page, it's located at
http://www.gatewest.net/~green/

Cheers

Keith