Victor Davis Hanson: Ripping Out More of America's Roots

The San Jose [CA] Mercury News ^ | March 10, 2005 | Victor Davis Hanson

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In an era of hype, we'll miss farm life's sober focus on results

America was created by rural people. Perhaps 95 percent of its citizens were farmers when Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. Now, despite all the talk of a "rural renaissance," fewer than 1 percent are — even as we are awash in food and next year will become a net food importer for the first time in our history.

Industrialization, mechanization and suburbanization did away with the agrarian culture of the traditional family farm. The latest "-zation" comes as globalization. Almost every acre of our farmland — because of instant communications, easy transportation and free trade — is in competition with its counterpart abroad.

High cost of business

Yet, a rice producer in Asia or a grape grower in Chile does not assume the same costs. Few abroad pay sky-high liability insurance, workers' compensation premiums or minimum wages — much less deal with government restrictions that regulate everything from burning brush to disposing of used fertilizer sacks. These are all necessary for an ethical society such as our own, but costly nonetheless.

By the 1980s it had become impossible for most of the last American farmers to continue on the land without assorted subsidies. The very few who survived found them in three forms.

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FYI

[sdpatriot]

and ag growers have the added cost of renting their land from the gvt. if you don't believe me- try not paying your property tax .. which can run into the ten's of thousands of dollars annually for farmers and ranchers.


ag globalization - it's all in the Agenda 21

my little commie Republican Governor - Mike Rounds helped this along in a HUGE way this year with his SD Certified Beef Program. we now have an official State organized beef program.... which is in one word - communist.

[freeangel]

VDH bump

[newfarm4000n]

Since when were HANDOUTS part of America's roots . I mean its one thing to accept farm supports ( paid for by the robbing of hard working tax payers Thats right the ROBBING of hard working tax payers) But to imply TJ would have supported them . Man I need to talk to a few sane people now .