Bravo and well said! Incentive/initiative
programs are important for small farms
and small farms are crucial. Not
saying these programs are perfect - bureaucracy is indeed bureaucracy. Let's
keep our eye on the prize - feeding our locale. Get the help you need if you
need it. Pay it back if you are so inclined.
Chandra Blackmer
From: Vermont
Vegetable and Berry Growers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2012 9:35 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: NRCS
Heres my two cents to a really interesting discussion.
I applaud Sam's and Pauls positions, and their strong beliefs.
But as a labeled "back to the land hippy" of the 70's, there were no
programs available to us. In fact, when I went to see about some
fixed USDA 1% money in 1976 I was being poured into the Northeast dairy
farms I was told(literally) that USDA was not interested in loaning money to
"hippies growing cabbage". USDA has come a long way since then.
This is a very hard
business to get into. Capital costs are high for the return on product
produced, and land is a commodity that is rapidly tightening up and out
of reach for most young people starting up. I would agree with
both Paul and Sam that the money is not "free", comes with
strings(doesnt all money?) and should not drive your business plan
just because its available. But be pragmatic about the use of it. If there is a
federal program that allows you to achieve a particular income stream or
gets your farm to a critical mass that is sustaineable, why not use it?
We are every bit as entitled to it as the commodity farmers,as we
are taxpayers as well. Dont feed at the trough of the federal government
to make your farm work, but take advantage of the programs that allow you
to make your farm work for you.
On Sun, May 20, 2012 at 9:27 AM, Paul Horton <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
Farm Subsidies ( grants, gifts, cost sharing, or the euphemism of the
day) are a product of farm policy. HIstory has shown us, especially via
commodity crop subsidies, that consolidation of the industry and
production of cheap food has been, and I believe, continues to be, our
farm policy. We are all aware of how this has damaged our ability to charge a
reasonable price for our products. Corn, fencing, high tunnel, irrigation and
any other subsidy contributes to artificially lowering costs of production.
I think we will lose control of our businesses and our sector if we
accept this money.
I want to know if I have a viable business model, and if so, I want to teach
others how to produce good food in a profitable way. These land based
businesses can support families, enhance communities, and be enduring. However,
I believe it is essential that we remain independent and continue to develop
business and production models that work without any of our neighbors' tax
dollars. I have thought about this very much and realize it is difficult to
turn away from thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars, but the
influence this money purchases may damage us in the long run.
We have not and will not accept any form of subsidy and I urge others to do the
same.
Paul Horton
Foggy Meadow Farm
802.537.4754
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