Re: organic and extension people and university types

Roberto Verzola (rverzola@phil.gn.apc.org)
24 Oct 99 07:44:15

>USDA, the Land Grant Institutions, and Extension Service have promoted
>"Sustainable Concepts" for a very long time. Look at old publications
>from the 80's, 70's, 60's, 50's, 40's, 30's, and further. One thing
>you will find in common is an emphasis on cultural practices, proper
>variety selection, tillage methods to protect soils, fertility based
>on type of material, timing and plant needs. Much of this type of
>information was refined and expanded upon during the 70's, 80's, and
>90's! Verbal bashing of these institutions is closing the door on
>potential information that was developed and promoted before most of
>us were even born.

I can see from the policies and statements of your Agriculture
Secretary as well as earlier postings here that your USDA has a
general policy which appears to be highly biased in favor of big firms
and of chemical agriculture and now genetic engineering. Within the
department, however, there is a much smaller counter-current of
ecological, chemical-free, organic farming advocates thanks to the
persistence of some lower-ranking officials.

To say so, without admitting that the dominant policy of your
Department of Agriculture is highly destructive of the land and highly
biased against small farms, will only mask the key problem: what is
the dominant policy within the DA bureaucracy and its top officials?
Only after recognizing the key problem can one begin solving it. For
example, how much of its budget goes to subsidize chemical/GE firms?
70%? 90%? 95%? Imagine if this went to what is today only a minor
undercurrent in that department.

Roberto

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