rbowman wrote:
> On 08/02/2022 10:21 PM, corvid wrote:
>> On 8/2/22 13:18, Fred Bloggs wrote:
>>>> <
https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2020/01/23/look-americas-family-farms>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Our research found that family farms remain a key part of U.S.
>>>> agriculture, making up 98% of all farms and providing 88% of
>>>> production. Most farms are small family farms, and they operate
>>>> almost half of U.S. farm land, while generating 21% of production.
>>>> Midsize and large-scale family farms account for about 66% of
>>>> production; and non-family farms represent the remaining 2.1% of
>>>> farms and 12% of production."
>>> That tells you right there the big farms are way more productive than
>>> the mom and pop farms. One reason is the caliber of farm management.
>>> Another thing they don't mention is that a lot of these small farms
>>> can't support themselves with the farm so at least one of the owners
>>> works a full time job elsewhere in addition to their farming- that
>>> sort of makes the farming a part time thing. Another thing they're
>>> not mentioning is there's a lot fraud in farming. There are a lot of
>>> no goods who register as agricultural for purposes of tax breaks,
>>> subsidies, and getting paid NOT TO GROW anything. Then there are a
>>> bunch of government subsidized crop insurance scams going. Nothing
>>> beats insuring a bottom land crop near a river and having a flood
>>> wipe it all out. You get paid on some per acre yield of the crop
>>> without having to lift a finger.
>>
>> USDA does mention part of that.
>>
>>
https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2010/05/18/small-farms-big-differences
>>
>> "In fact, all of the growth occurred among farms under $1,000 in sales.
>> These are classified as farms so long as they have enough land or
>> livestock to generate $1000, whether or not actual sales reach that
>> level. Most of these operations are better described as rural
>> residences; the households on these farms – and on many other small
>> farms – rely heavily on off-farm income."
>
> As Earl Butz said during the Johnson administration, 'Get big or get
> out.' He also had the insight that cheap food is very important to keep
> the natives from getting restless.
I'd say he finally eliminated food insecurity. We used to get oranges at
Christmas - like "WTF? They got oranges everywhere now" but it was the
bony hand of the Depression offering the orange, from when people went
hungry.
My folks were Silents and the nostalgia for all that privation was
startling and palpable. We didn't know what an orange meant.
They did.
> Too bad about that 'loose shoes,
> tight pussy, and a warm place to shit' crack that got him fired.
Absolutely hilarious. Not everybody should try their hand at songwriting
and that .. might not have been the place to start.
> Too much candor can be fatal to a politician.
Yeah, well. People push the "lose" button all the time. Re Ron White:
"I had the right to remain silent, but I did not have the ability."
--
Les Cargill