Thought this might interest some of you:
http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/farmcrisis990721.html
Not, all in all, a terrible story, for something from a major news
source. For example, I think it lays out the market-playing aspect of
commodity-based farming quite well.
However I notice that, yet again, the "crisis" is viewed as whether
the farmer will be forced off that land--a tragedy, yes, but one that
few consumers can relate to, particularly those who were driven of
their own land a year, a decade, or a generation or more ago.
Commenting upon the tears in the farmer's eyes is a nice piece of
sentiment, but doesn't offer much by way of social action. Nor does
it tie that individual's struggle to larger issues, like how farmland
loss and falling crop prices will affect everyone.
There is a clickable link at the above story to the journalist's
e-mail. I encourage us all to read the story and send her POSITIVE
and PROACTIVE thoughts. Like thanking her for covering the
story...and using this as a teachable moment about sustainable ag,
about successful farmers who aren't tied to the commodity markets as
tightly as conventional cash grain folks are, etc.
What say?
peace
misha
A study in the Washington Post says that women have better verbal
skills than men. I just want to say to the authors of that study:
Duh. - Conan O'Brien
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