Karen Mundy wrote:
>
> Gordon, I don't disagree at all with what you are saying. But if Judy
> Welfare goes to the store and sees two tomatoes, one for $1.50 per pound and
> the other for $.75 per pound and she has $10 total to spend on groceries, do
> you think she cares about the hidden costs of the $.75 per pound tomato, or
> do you think she's more concerned about making her $10 go as far as
> possible? It is a problem. There are no easy solutions.
> k.
"It is a problem. There are no easy solutions." There is only ONE
solution and it is neither easy nor simple. It is simply necessary.
And it relates to the role of government in matters pertaining to the
environment and public health, and within that context (and ONLY within
that context), agricultural production.
The problem has to do with the need for developing economic indicators
that INCLUDE environmental and public health concerns when calculating
the true costs of agricultural production and above all, the need for a
new focus, one which governments are willing to give priority, so that
the legislation required to put things in the true perspective (and
level the field) can be drafted and passed.
Those that consider this concept to be unrealistic, naive or just too
darn hard are doing a disservice to an idea whose time has come - and
one which I dare to say should be supported by everyone on this forum.
Furthermore, I submit that a reappraised and amended OFPA is as good as
place as any to begin - it could mandate Congress to solicit the
necessary studies from the National Research Council and later legislate
on basis of the results of those studies - which of course will take a
few years. However, a great deal of the basic research for this has
already been done, and a number of foundations that supported earlier
studies would most likely to provide funds the federal government could
match.
Is anyone else willing to rock the boat a little? How about our
breaking out the oars and let's get rowing!
--Douglas M. Hinds, Director General Centro para el Desarrollo Comunitario y Rural A.C. (CeDeCoR) (Center for Community and Rural Development) - (non profit) Cd. Guzman, Jalisco 49000 MEXICO U.S. Voice Mailbox: 1 630 300 0550 (e-mail linked) U.S. Fax Mailbox: 1 630 300 0555 (e-mail linked) Tel. & Fax: 011 523 412 6308 (direct) e-mail: cedecor@ipnet.com.mx, dmhinds@acnet.net, dhinds@.ucol.mx
To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with "unsubscribe sanet-mg". To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command "subscribe sanet-mg-digest".