From John Hagen
Monroe
To the editor:
We often hear the assertion by the big agribusiness enterprises that we need to tolerate the (concentrated animal feed operations) "CAFO" system of agriculture in order to provide adequate food for everyone. But is this actually true? Well, according to a study done by the USDA in 2010, 133 pounds of the food that was produced in the U.S. was not eaten.1 A study done by the UK Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 2013 found that 30-50 percent of world food production was wasted.2 The actual reason food shortages occur is that the distribution system is flawed, not from underproduction.
Another claim made by the CAFO industry is that this system of agriculture is more efficient. Is this assertion actually true? According to USDA figures, it requires the amount of fodder produced from around 5.1 acres of land to produce a CAFO steer. Over 50 years ago, a farmer in Virginia named Salatin developed a highly efficient method of grazing. At the present time it requires the output of only 2.2 acres of his land to produce a steer. A few farms right here in Green County are implementing the Salatin method. According to a recent interview with one of these farmers, his operation requires 1 1/3 acres to feed a steer to marketable size.
There is another great advantage of the Salatin method, it is extremely good for the environment. Salatin reported that over a 50-year period, his farm had produced an increase of 8-inch of humus top soil. Humus is comprised of 60 percent carbon which is permanently sequestered in the soil since this system uses perennial pasture plants. Thus, it actually removes carbon from the air while improving fertility without using agricultural chemicals.
In view of these, facts the question arises as to why the industrial CAFO system is the predominate form of production. It's really quite simple these large enterprises have vast resources which they employ to shape public policy to provide large taxpayer subsidies.
How can we as individuals foster these superior forms of agriculture? Find and buy from local small scale producers using these improved methods. A good place to start is the farmers market.
1 Buzby, Jean, et al.: USDA Economic Research Service 2010, Internet publication.
2 Smithers, Rebecca: The Guardian January 10, 2013.
Monroe
To the editor:
We often hear the assertion by the big agribusiness enterprises that we need to tolerate the (concentrated animal feed operations) "CAFO" system of agriculture in order to provide adequate food for everyone. But is this actually true? Well, according to a study done by the USDA in 2010, 133 pounds of the food that was produced in the U.S. was not eaten.1 A study done by the UK Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 2013 found that 30-50 percent of world food production was wasted.2 The actual reason food shortages occur is that the distribution system is flawed, not from underproduction.
Another claim made by the CAFO industry is that this system of agriculture is more efficient. Is this assertion actually true? According to USDA figures, it requires the amount of fodder produced from around 5.1 acres of land to produce a CAFO steer. Over 50 years ago, a farmer in Virginia named Salatin developed a highly efficient method of grazing. At the present time it requires the output of only 2.2 acres of his land to produce a steer. A few farms right here in Green County are implementing the Salatin method. According to a recent interview with one of these farmers, his operation requires 1 1/3 acres to feed a steer to marketable size.
There is another great advantage of the Salatin method, it is extremely good for the environment. Salatin reported that over a 50-year period, his farm had produced an increase of 8-inch of humus top soil. Humus is comprised of 60 percent carbon which is permanently sequestered in the soil since this system uses perennial pasture plants. Thus, it actually removes carbon from the air while improving fertility without using agricultural chemicals.
In view of these, facts the question arises as to why the industrial CAFO system is the predominate form of production. It's really quite simple these large enterprises have vast resources which they employ to shape public policy to provide large taxpayer subsidies.
How can we as individuals foster these superior forms of agriculture? Find and buy from local small scale producers using these improved methods. A good place to start is the farmers market.
1 Buzby, Jean, et al.: USDA Economic Research Service 2010, Internet publication.
2 Smithers, Rebecca: The Guardian January 10, 2013.
