| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| windypines |
Posted - Dec 08 2008 : 4:19:08 PM
I heard this morning on the farm show, on the radio, that the EPA wants to charge farmers for every animal. Ranging somewhre in the neighborhood of $187 for every dairy animal, down to $20 for every hog. I don't remember all the figures, but I thought how can anyone come up with this stuff. The radio guys were having fun with this one. Saying ya, drive all our farmers out of business, and ship in all our food, like we do our fuel. Especially from countries that have much lower standards in their food production.
Gosh I just don't get it.
Michele |
| 23 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| MsCwick |
Posted - Dec 12 2008 : 1:48:52 PM
There's a huge difference between North American and IMPORTED FROM CHINA!
I buy veggies too, but I always 10234239048% buy American even if it's more expensive.
Imported grapes 1.97 VS California grown grapes 2.19 NOT A BIG DEAL
I don't buy mandarin oranges anymore, and especially not canned mushrooms. (packed by Polar in china)
Also, even if we try to buy american, there are immigrant workers over here harvesting the stuff. SO there's are pros and cons of all sides.
Check out this link
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/14/asia/fish.php
I know it's from 2007, but the only thing that happened since then is more pollution ;) |
| Jami |
Posted - Dec 12 2008 : 1:35:28 PM
That was one comment by the wool buyer as he gave us a slideshow of his trip, was how terribly polluted the rivers were there and the consumer is worried about heavy metals and such being in the wool because they use the river water to wash the wool and it goes right back into the river afterwards too! This is the same water all of the factories in that area are using, hence the heavy metal concern. We can have "standards" and laws all we want, but it's just plain as day that other countries have different standards and there are not enough inspectors to ensure anything coming into this country is truly up to snuff.
But I'm as guilty as the next person, I love fresh veggies (not canned) and end up having to purchase vegetables that are grown in Mexico and elsewhere to get them this time of year. I don't like it but I do it because it's there and I'm hungry for veggies.
Jami in WA
Farmgirl Sister #266
http://woolyinwashington.wordpress.com/
http://farmhouseflair.etsy.com |
| MsCwick |
Posted - Dec 12 2008 : 1:21:28 PM
So it sounds like everyone needs to band together and put their foot down and say "enough is enough" There are unions for this type of thing, but we are also Americans and need to say "enough is enough" (without a union to do it for us)to all that imported crap as well. No matter the cost.
If the government needs money so bad that they will basically slit the throats of all the small farmers just so they can get theirs, then THEY are the ones at fault for needing that much MORE money. I suppose they should just go without.
And if you need yarn so bad(or any other cheap comodity walmart sells) maybe it would be better to go without than support those immoral people in china. You vote with your dollar, and if you keep padding the pockets of those disturbed chinese, you will send the message loud and clear "Keep sending your cheap crap, because we'll buy it till the shelves are empty"
It's all about supply and demand, if we all stopped demanding that cheap crap, they would have to slow or even halt production/supply. If we would just pay the small farm prices, and leave the Brazillian beef, and Chinese Tilapia on the shelf to rot, the small farmers could have bits of money to contribute to government regulation.
_________________________________________________________________________
Chinese tilapia was excluded from the FDA checks on seafood products , as apparently the species is less subject to use of prohibited substances.
As a result, exports of tilapia from China to the US market continued to grow in the second half of the year, in contrast to that of other seafood products.
In the first eleven months of 2007, Chinese tilapia exports reached 108 000 tonnes, 19 per cent more than in the same period of 2006. No other supplier could match the Chinese tilapia boom.
_________
Some 80% of China's rivers are so polluted with raw sewage and toxic by products that the fish farmers have to keep the fish so loaded up on antibiotics just to keep them alive.
_______
You want to spend $1.50/pound with them or 2.15/pound with joe at the end of the road????
Just wanted to throw in a quick apology if I offend anyone. I know this is a touchy subject...expecially for me.
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| Jami |
Posted - Dec 12 2008 : 1:05:22 PM
Monica, not sure if that's 100% wool yarn or a mix or what at Walmart, but with this global economy, quite a large amount of our USA wool clip is purchased by China. They have lots of wool mills there. I know that sounds odd and not quite right, but I know for a fact most of the northwest wool (commercially marketed through wool pools) goes to Utah and that buyer sells to his main market of China. This keeps us in a constant state of confusion, I know.
Jami in WA
Farmgirl Sister #266
http://woolyinwashington.wordpress.com/
http://farmhouseflair.etsy.com |
| oldfashioned girl |
Posted - Dec 12 2008 : 12:48:50 PM
Victoria, Al Gore uses 20 times the national average for energy use! I think if we keep doing what is right it will make a difference! A lot of people don't realize of don't want to know what is going on and on the other side of it when money is tight you think you are spending well to save money by shopping at Walmart! Their commercials now say "live better, spend less"! I have to confess that before I started spinning yarn, I would buy yarn at Walmart and buy the 8 ounce because it was a better deal, not really considering that it comes from China and if I am buying it for 1.87 how much are the people getting paid to make it!
One thing I have to say is that I have noticed that the vegetables I buy at the farmers market don't keep as well as stuff I used to buy from the stores and it makes me wonder what is on it or in it to keep so long!!!
I do think some people in Washington need to get a real job!!
Monica
farmgirls rule!
www.justducky48.etsy.com |
| knittingmom |
Posted - Dec 12 2008 : 09:04:27 AM
Unfortunately that is the reality of it with regard to factory farms and with regard to the fact that many people have no idea where their food comes from.
As a city person (coming from a long line of farmers) I try to buy from local producers as much as possible at the farmers market. As an aside, I find that the quality of the produce (both meats and vegetables) are far superior to what's in the supermarkets, the prices aren't that much higher. My hope is that more people could support thier local farmers markets.
Good luck to all you who have small farms, my thoughts are with you. Remember that grassroots organizations can do amazing things.
"There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world" |
| Jami |
Posted - Dec 12 2008 : 08:54:41 AM
Well, factory farming is feeding this nation at the moment and exporting to the world too, and that's the simple truth of it and keeping food prices down. It takes big bucks to do this and a system in place and their money and "clout" at the federal level to keep their products moving. I am not saying it's my preference, but it's the reality of the situation. It's really unfortunate that the "little guy" gets caught up in the middle of legislation that could put him out of business. I hope the Locovore movement grows and keeps us little folks in business but the fact is that the average American has no clue where their food comes from and just wants to go to Walmart and get it cheap and not get sick from eating it. Ya know?
We need to make our voices heard to the feds when it comes to these issues. I cannot stress enough how important belonging to a non-profit producer-driven group can be in having a bigger voice in government policy when it comes to farming in addition to sending a personal note to your legislators on things like this.
Glad you brought this up Michele so we can get involved in making our voices heard. It's hard to keep up with all of the proposed rules and laws...there are so many special interest groups and supposed "do-gooders" out there trying to make our planet safe, yet they still expect to eat everyday. It is quite frustrating to say the least.
Jami in WA
Farmgirl Sister #266
http://woolyinwashington.wordpress.com/
http://farmhouseflair.etsy.com |
| knittingmom |
Posted - Dec 12 2008 : 08:30:44 AM
I hope that doesn't go through for the sake of family farms. They should penalize the large corporate factory farms only because those are the ones that are causing the most damage. They are corporations they have no sense of stewardship. There is no comparison between a family run farm and those horrid factory farms.
"There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world" |
| vermont v |
Posted - Dec 10 2008 : 4:27:18 PM
Blame it on Al Gore, the guy so concerned with global warming he has a 30,000 square foot house and flies in private jets. God bless the independent small farmers that are trying to survive against all odds! |
| pinkroses |
Posted - Dec 10 2008 : 11:46:53 AM
ya know a small farmer has no chance if this thing goes through
My goodness what is this country going to?
I hope it isn't going through. pinkroses
We will have to not raise anything
All we do now is a few cattle.
www.ohkayteagirl2.blogspot.com
http;//www.sheilascreativetouches.blogspot.com |
| Alee |
Posted - Dec 10 2008 : 07:03:24 AM
I think the only people who should be charged this are the CAFO operations. They produce huge amounts of waste in a very tiny space. Maybe if those operations had to pay more for the damage they do- they would change their business practices or perhaps it would bring conventional meat and dairy up to prices that Organic could compete at for mainstream customers. I know none of us wants food prices to go up, but if they did and we all got used to them, then I bet a lot of us would be able to buy our things organically.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our blog: www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
| homemom |
Posted - Dec 10 2008 : 07:00:14 AM
I know that here in our state the local landfill pipes the methane gas to our gas company which in turn sells it back to us at a high rate. Isn't it wonderful how that works.
Ruth
Living the farm life in my heart.
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Ruth
http://farmgirlinmyheart.blogspot.com/ |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Dec 10 2008 : 06:51:30 AM
Did I read somewhere that some of the confinement hog operations are building methane or ethinol plants on their properties so they can harness the gasses from the waste of the animals??? There is a commercial here about something like that. Where they are using the waste as energy for a big corporation.
Maybe someone has heard of this or knows more about it. But I think more and more confinement operations are doing this now.
Kris
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| Mumof3 |
Posted - Dec 10 2008 : 06:40:02 AM
I bet it is because of the methane emissions from the animals contributing to global warming. bahahahahahahaha! I agree with all of you, if there is a way to get more money out of the little guy, the government will find it. Honestly. I think that the girls and I will just hide out in the hen house.
Karin
Farmgirl Sister
# 18 :)
www.perfectlittlemiracle.blogspot.com
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| shepherdgirl |
Posted - Dec 09 2008 : 8:53:18 PM
I'm with YOU Kris--- you don't want to get ME started either! The only animals I have that I register are my Babydoll sheep. It's a privately owned registry and seems to fly under the radar so I'll continue on with it, unless things change.
My original Nigerian breedind stock is all registered too --- still in their former owners names! I have struggled with the idea of transfering those animals and registering their offspring but.....with all that the USDA is trying to pull right now.. and NOW the EPA too? PA-LEASE!!! I say we take all those idiots who keep trying to enforce all this garbage on us (AND take our money in EVERY conceivable way) and put them on a slow boat to Antarctica!!!!
It's all about $$$$$$$$$ Ladies. And one concept---- "Control the FOOD, Control the PEOPLE!!!" The Government is even trying to shut down the seed banks here in the US. They want those seeds destroyed claiming that they are a possible threat to the "indiginous species" of the USA. 95% of the seeds in storage in those banks are from other countries-- what those idiots who "rule" this country fail to realize is that even POTATOES are not a Native American species! Neither is Citrus, or rice, or over half of the money making crops in the US!!!! What, are they going to make the farmers rip out their orchards and dig up their rice paddies? Disgusting. Absolutely DISGUSTING!!!!!
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
| ddmashayekhi |
Posted - Dec 09 2008 : 8:07:23 PM
That would be terrible if they could do that. The farmers should just hide their livestock and then the EPA can't do a head count!
Dawn in IL |
| Contrary Wife |
Posted - Dec 08 2008 : 7:27:44 PM
Greed.
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
MJ's Heirloom Mavens Badgebadger
MJ's Heirloom Mavens Bookclub Coordinator
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
| lacisne88 |
Posted - Dec 08 2008 : 7:20:17 PM
That is insane! I don't understand why people try to bring down the honest little people who make the world go round just to make more room for corporate giants to make millions and trillions of dollars! I just don't get it.
Chelsey
Farmgirl Sister #283
http://farmgirlpleasures.blogspot.com/
http://aminiatureworld.blogspot.com/ |
| Contrary Wife |
Posted - Dec 08 2008 : 6:59:21 PM
I'm with you Kris! I could not agree more with you!
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
MJ's Heirloom Mavens Badgebadger
MJ's Heirloom Mavens Bookclub Coordinator
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Dec 08 2008 : 6:47:49 PM
It's usually those people in Wash. sitting in their nice office in suits with NOTHING to do but think up crap like this! What next? Good grief, don't farmers have enough problems without having to deal with something like this? It's absolute nonsense. I will not be "charged" for every animal on these 3 acres. I've already paid for them, anyway. Many times over, too. Just like I will not pay for chips to be put in these animals or register them with the NAIS, either. It just makes my blood boil when I hear things like this going on. I don't even believe in registering my goats because I'd have to tattoo them. Not going there folks!
And what does the EPA have to do with farm animals anyway? I just don't know what this ole world is coming to. And none of these people who come up with this malarky even have animals anyway.
And no wonder poor dairy farmers are going out of business every day around here. They make just pennies on every gallon of milk that they produce. They have so many rules and regulations, I don't know how they go on. Out here where I live there has been 3 dairies just in the past year to sell out. They are going to beef cows. It's sad to see, but it happens every day. And then what? People will not stop drinking milk.
I better stop before I get in trouble here. Sorry. This is just a very touchy subject for me.
Kris
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| homemom |
Posted - Dec 08 2008 : 4:28:14 PM
This sounds crazy. I can't imagine who comes up with it and what exactly are they using to think with?! It certainly can't be brains!!!
Ruth
Living the farm life in my heart.
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Ruth
http://farmgirlinmyheart.blogspot.com/ |
| kmbrown |
Posted - Dec 08 2008 : 4:24:47 PM
Ok, I know we are not supposed to be political....but in my opinion....there is only one group of people to come up with this. Communists. |
| Sitnalta |
Posted - Dec 08 2008 : 4:20:56 PM
It does seem terrible. It reminds me of the adage you never be sure of anything except death and taxes...and now charges on farm animals!
HUGS
Jessie
Farmgirl Sister #235
Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing.
Stop by my blog for a visit www.messiejessie2.blogspot.com |
