Re: DISCUSSION: Sust ag definitions

GWEBER@cite.esusda.gov
Mon, 14 Mar 1994 08:21:13 EST

Greg McIsaac writes" But I disagree with the generic
> idea that "helping" farmers and ranchers achieve their goals is
> necessarily sustainable if the goals themselves are not sustainable.
> A former Secretary of Agriculture advised farmers to "Get
> Big or Get Out"... The extension service has assisted them in taking
> on debt, and purchasing larger machinery and farming more acres.
> These trends continue. Is that sustainable?
>
> Empowering people to make informed decisions is the primary charge
of the Extension System. We believe that informed individuals will
make the proper decisions for themselves, their families, communities
the environment, etc. To the extent these decisions are sustainable
only time will tell as we really lack the knowledge to judge this
short term. Moving in the right direction is what is important...and
U.S. agriculture really is moving in the right direction.

If a farmer or ranchers wants to expand because of the need to add a
son or daughter to the farm, or for other reasons, yes Extension
will help them analyze their options. To expand or not is their
decision, not ours. Moderate and small operations also must make
their own decisions, hopefully decisions based on access the full
range of options and resultant impacts. Responsible education does
not mean we "buy into" opinions, fads, etc... and proceed to promote
an agenda. The Extension System is rapidly increasing its knowledge
base regarding alternative production systems...and helping farmers
and ranchers evaluate the alternatives.

We believe the individual will make the right decisions..when
informed of the options. This is not a new concept. In 1820, Thomas
Jefferson encountered opinions that the individual could not make the
right decisions and the State should step in and make them. He
responded, in a letter written to William Charles Jarvis, "I know of
no safe depository of the ultimate powers of society but the people
themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise
their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take
it from them, but to inform their discretion by education."

Pacey,(1990 MIT Press) in a 1,000 year history of technology transfer,
found imposed transfers fail. The former Soviet Union also discoverd
that taking away the role of the individual in decision-making was
not sustainable.

Thus, regardless of farm size, technology, industry, government or
activist agenda, the Extension Service is charged with helping
individuals make informed decisions. Today, we are rapidly expanding
the education array so as to move all of U.S. agriculture toward
evaluating "performance" in the four areas I mentioned previously:
Financial and Economic, Environmental, Food Safety Quality and Social
Acceptability.

We are VERY excited that real, measurable progress is being made in
addressing these issues.

This is an exciting time to be involved in agriculture.

Thanks for taking the time to review my thoughts.

******************************************
Gary M. Weber Phone (202) 720-2677 *
Program Leader Fax (202) 720-7714 *
Animal Science GWEBER@ESUSDA.GOV *
"Knowledge is one of the few things you *
can give away and still keep" *
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