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Re: Role of Factory Farms

The issue is quality of life, the importance of quality food in it and
at bottom, the meaning of quality in terms of being a contributing
member of the human race and for the matter, of the ecosystem.

Someone else is going to have to supply data, but having that will only
help defend your position against those already predisposed toward or
with vested interests in the point of view you state (factory farms). 
You're going for the swing voters. Maybe family planning is part of your
argument.  And efficient agrocultural production is not necessarily
based on mass, highly mechanized, engery consuming monoculture that not
only ignores but destroys the biological basis of growing crops (and
everything else that grows, including you, me and everything else
alive).  Learn more about the type of agriculture that's best adapted
and more feasible through family farms - a selective, conscious,
biologically (GE is not bioligical, it's micro surgery) based
agriculture.  CSA fits into this picture too.  Bring life back to the
living - empower the people, not the corporate entities, personalize
food.  Etc.

Marian Buckner wrote:
> 
>         I am involved in working to further the future of family farms.  When
> I have conversations on this subject, however, invariably someone
> remarks that the only way the US (and the world) can feed its rapidly
> growing poulation is by relying on corporate or so-called factory
> farms.  That ends the conversation.  They're not interested in further
> pursuing the topic.
> 
>         To help in what I'm doing, writing Congressmen, etc., I need more
> info.  Here are some of my questions:
>         What foods other than hogs and poultry are produced by corporate
> farms?  I assume that beef is also.  And grains?
>         Is aquaculture both a corporate and an individual farming activity?
>         What is the role of large-scale corporate farms in producing food (ie,
> their share of the market)?  For example, do corporate farms produce
> X%, and projected to produce X% in the future?
>         Might there be a change in these figures as consumers become aware of
> the costs associated with corporate farming?  I refer to social and
> environmental costs and $$$ costs of government subsidies to these
> corporations.  Are corporate farms faced with a reduced profit in such
> a scenario likely to move to foreign countries?  Will this result in
> food shortages in the US?
> 
>         What do you think is the likely future role of the family farm in
> producing foods that corporate farms specialize in?
> 
>         Your response will be very helpful.

-- 

Douglas M. Hinds, Director General
Centro para el Desarrollo Comunitario y Rural A.C. (CeDeCoR)
(Center for Community and Rural Development) - (non profit)
Petronilo Lopez No. 73 (Street Address)
Apdo. Postal No. 61 (Mailing Address)
Cd. Guzman, Jalisco 49000 MEXICO
U.S. Voice Mailbox:  1 630 300 0550 (e-mail linked)
U.S. Fax Mailbox:  1 630 300 0555 (e-mail linked)
Tel. & Fax:  011 523 413 5222 (not functioning properly)
Tel. & Fax:  011 523 412 6308 (direct)
e-mail: cedecor@ipnet.com.mx, dmhinds@acnet.net, dhinds@.ucol.mx
References: