You can say that from behind a keyboard, but if you were to go out into the field, you would easily find indisputable evidence that crop yields are higher (for corn its’ about 40% over that last 10 years), better quality (More protein, more starch, etc. your choice) and more consistant (both in yields and the type of product).
The evidence is indisputable, talk to any farmer who grows food for a living.
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How do you reconcile this comment with your tag-line?
“5 posted on Tuesday, February 01, 2011 9:19:19 PM by Balding_Eagle (Overproduction, one of the top five worries of the American Farmer each and every year..)”
Perhaps you’re saying gov’t needs to get their nose out of farmers butt? I agree, no more subsidies and dictating yields!
“5 posted on Tuesday, February 01, 2011 9:19:19 PM by Balding_Eagle (Overproduction, one of the top five worries of the American Farmer each and every year..)”
Perhaps you’re saying gov’t needs to get their nose out of farmers butt? I agree, no more subsidies and dictating yields!
You do understand supply/demand, don't you? A 10% oversupply of grains is deadly to prices.
Using corn for example; demand over that past 25 years has nearly doubled, and thanks to GM crops (think Roundup-Ready corn or soybeans) supply has kept pace, but it's an annual tightrope, with weather being a huge, uncontrollable factor. A series of rains can make the difference between profit or loss. The newer GM grains are more drought resistant, and , thanks to companies like Monsanto, even more drought resistant varieties will be in the field this year.
For more than 50 years the Federal Government has had a "Cheap Food for Consumers" agricultural program. It's most commonly just called "The Farm Subsidies Program".
It's been very effective in providing an abundance of cheap food for consumers, usually at the expense of the American Farmer.
The farmer would be better off without that program, but I can assure you that you wouldn't be happy about it.