Go back
No farms, no food, no future

No farms, no food, no future

Debates

diver

Joined
16 Feb 08
Moves
121016
Clock
54d
1 edit

Since the start of 2024 there have been farming protests across all EU countries. They are protesting a suite of issues including regulation, economic constraints, political favouritism and often the extreme EU net zero targets which are impacting use of fertilisers and use of land. The EU is doing this to its own members!

Here in the UK the net zero maniacs in the Labour Party have attacked farmers with punitive inheritance tax changes which will endanger small and medium sized family farms. Farming is already on its knees commercially. And they did this despite seeing the carnage in the EU this year. This situation is utter madness. Farming should be encouraged and protected in every nation state.

Once a nation loses its ability to sustain its own people with its own food they are forever at the mercy of the globalists. The EU loving Labour Party should be ashamed of themselves.

A Unique Nickname

Joined
10 Jan 08
Moves
19081
Clock
54d

Farmers have ruined the planet, it's time we all started to grow our own food and trade with others.

diver

Joined
16 Feb 08
Moves
121016
Clock
54d

@A-Unique-Nickname said
it's time we all started to grow our own food and trade with others.
That’s what farmers do!

A Unique Nickname

Joined
10 Jan 08
Moves
19081
Clock
54d

@divegeester said
That’s what farmers do!
The don't. They pollute the planet and kill all the bugs.

vivify
rain

Joined
08 Mar 11
Moves
12456
Clock
54d

Most farms are not the cute red barns you see in movies in the middle of a rural area. Most farms are factories owned by corporations. The protests in France where people drove around in their tractors provide a false image of small business owners protesting the big-bad government, but that's not accurate.

Factory farms provide most of the developed world's food and are one of the world's biggest industries.

Anti-climate rhetoric is driven by right-wing media who use propaganda to sway public opinion, when they themselves are driven by corporate interests.

Even if farms were mostly operated by small-business rural farmers (they're not) what good are they on a ruined planet? Europe constantly sees devasting floods destroying buildings (and farmland), killing hundreds of people each year, only to be followed by searing summer temperatures, killing even more people.

Something has to be done since the science and data is clear; climate change is an existential threat to humanity.

spruce112358
It's All A Joke

Joined
23 Oct 04
Moves
4402
Clock
54d
Vote Up
Vote Down

@divegeester said
Farming should be encouraged and protected in every nation state.
Unfortunately, many farming practices from the past have been very destructive to the land. Louis Bromfield wrote a lot about rejuvenating worn-our farmland in the 1950's - I've visited his Malabar Farm in Ohio. A very interesting guy.

Government support (e.g. farm bills) often encourages farmers to do things with their land that don't make economic sense in the the long term - planting maize in areas where you only get a crop 1 year in 4, over-reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, irrigating in dry areas such that rivers and aquifers are depleted.

Farming is a tough business, but many people love it. I agree that as small businesses, farms shouldn't be broken up or penalized just because a new generation takes over.

But I'm not sure I would say to government "we have to protect farming" - I think that just opens the door to regulatory capture from agribusiness.

diver

Joined
16 Feb 08
Moves
121016
Clock
54d

@A-Unique-Nickname said
The don't. They pollute the planet and kill all the bugs.
They don’t pollute the planet, and they only kill some of the bugs on the food.

diver

Joined
16 Feb 08
Moves
121016
Clock
54d

@vivify said
Most farms are not the cute red barns you see in movies in the middle of a rural area. Most farms are factories owned by corporations. The protests in France where people drove around in their tractors provide a false image of small business owners protesting the big-bad government, but that's not accurate.

Factory farms provide most of the developed world's food and a ...[text shortened]... to be done since the science and data is clear; climate change is an existential threat to humanity.
Good luck getting your food from China.

diver

Joined
16 Feb 08
Moves
121016
Clock
54d
1 edit

@spruce112358 said
Unfortunately, many farming practices from the past have been very destructive to the land. Louis Bromfield wrote a lot about rejuvenating worn-our farmland in the 1950's - I've visited his Malabar Farm in Ohio. A very interesting guy.

Government support (e.g. farm bills) often encourages farmers to do things with their land that don't make economic sense in the the ...[text shortened]... ave to protect farming" - I think that just opens the door to regulatory capture from agribusiness.
If smaller non corporate farming isn’t protected and encouraged then all we have left are the big corporate factory farms, or worse still importing it all and at what cost.

spruce112358
It's All A Joke

Joined
23 Oct 04
Moves
4402
Clock
54d

@vivify said
Most farms are not the cute red barns you see in movies in the middle of a rural area. Most farms are factories owned by corporations. The protests in France where people drove around in their tractors provide a false image of small business owners protesting the big-bad government, but that's not accurate.

Factory farms provide most of the developed world's food and a ...[text shortened]... to be done since the science and data is clear; climate change is an existential threat to humanity.
I think all farmers today are farming much more land than their grandfathers.

My biggest concern with the factory farm is treating land as commercial property - buying it, depreciating the cost over 10 years on their taxes, farming it badly, and then selling the worn-out land and starting over.

There are huge differences in soil that has been farmed responsibly to build up the organic content vs soil that is just fertilized and treated chemically, especially regarding how well the land holds moisture.

A farm should be owned and farmed for generations, always building it up - never stripping it for short-term profit.

spruce112358
It's All A Joke

Joined
23 Oct 04
Moves
4402
Clock
54d

@divegeester said
They don’t pollute the planet, and they only kill some of the bugs on the food.
Neonicotinoid pesticides have been a disaster for bee populations.

spruce112358
It's All A Joke

Joined
23 Oct 04
Moves
4402
Clock
54d
Vote Up
Vote Down

@divegeester said
If smaller non corporate farming isn’t protected and encouraged then all we have left are the big corporate factory farms, or worse still importing it all and at what cost.
Sustainability is the key, I think, for any size farm. I don't know how government can really help that, honestly. By doing what? Governments don't really have that sort of expertise.

vivify
rain

Joined
08 Mar 11
Moves
12456
Clock
54d
2 edits

@divegeester said
Good luck getting your food from China.
Oh please.

You think think the €580 billion farming industry will just pack up and quit? Why, because climate change laws might reduce profits to €570 billion?

vivify
rain

Joined
08 Mar 11
Moves
12456
Clock
54d
5 edits

@spruce112358 said
I think all farmers today are farming much more land than their grandfathers.

My biggest concern with the factory farm is treating land as commercial property - buying it, depreciating the cost over 10 years on their taxes, farming it badly, and then selling the worn-out land and starting over.

There are huge differences in soil that has been farmed responsibly to ...[text shortened]... owned and farmed for generations, always building it up - never stripping it for short-term profit.
That's a good point.

Even putting aside climate change, farming industries still harm the very land they use, as well as the local wildlife, lakes, streams, rivers and drain the reserve water supply needed by average citizens.

diver

Joined
16 Feb 08
Moves
121016
Clock
54d

@spruce112358 said
Neonicotinoid pesticides have been a disaster for bee populations.
It must be the regulations preventing its use which has caused farmers all over Europe to protest.

Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More.