-
Big Brother moves in….
….when Barack Obama said he was going to “fundamentally transform” American, he meant it. http://www.morningagclips.com/index.php?cID=6633#.Uz1q8YePKcy Of course, EPA is here to “protect our health” from….whatever. http://dailycaller.com/2014/04/02/report-epa-tested-deadly-pollutants-on-humans-to-push-obama-admins-agenda/
-
The EPA stands guard….
….protecting our health! Don’t dare light up a cigarette on the beach. But when it comes to pesticides in your food…the EPA says not to worry. It’s just Monsanto doing its thing! http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/02/26/bt-toxin-residues.aspx
-
The war on farmers….
….continuing the theme of an earlier post. The government continues to get really tough…on farmers who aren’t causing the problems. Again and again, it’s clear that the real threat to our health comes from factory farms and factory food processing. But it’s a lot easier to go after the little guy. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-food-safety-20140223,0,6831660.story#axzz2u528ngu5
-
Crocodile tears….
….after making war on small farmers for the past five years, Ag Secretary Tom Vilisack has the _____(fill in the blank) to put out a self-serving press release decrying the decline of small farms. http://news.yahoo.com/number-us-farms-declines-farmers-getting-older-182609347–politics.html;_ylt=AwrBJR9tSgZTHlsAuEHQtDMD And to top it all off, he sees a “bright spot” in the number of young farmers just getting started. Fine for Big Ag and their Ag Secretary, as long as you confine your farming to flower pots.
-
The numbers don’t add up….
….or do they? We have a new Farm Bill and the “official story” is that there’s been a cut in spending. As the song goes: that’ll be the day. Despite reports, the fact is government spending is going up tens of billions of dollars, including for such as things as promoting Christmas trees. There’s also an “official story” from the government about increasing food prices. And then there’s the real story being experienced by consumers. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/food-prices-soar-as-incomes-stand-still/ Predictably, the sky-rocketing prices at the grocery store—ignored by most media—have moms blaming farmers. Seems we’re price-gouging, in their opinion. One thing the press sure has covered, is the complaints about greedy farmers. For…
-
More than you want to know….
….about the new Farm Bill. But here’s a detailed look at the details from both the Left and the Right. It starts by making the point that it should be really called “The Food Stamp Bill”. More money goes to food stamps than farmers and, despite the claims that the bill cuts spending, it does not! http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/
-
The “new” journalism….
….here comes “the old fogey” again. You’re warned! Back when I was learning to be a reporter, there was a course you had to take at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism that was based around a book with the title “How to Lie with Statistics”. The idea was that great lies were always buried in those supposedly cold numbers put out by our government….at all levels. I was reminded of that when I read that the new Farm Bill was going to “save” $20- to 30-billion over the next five years. Now that’s not the Congress that I know very well. But that’s the headline I am seeing today in…
-
I’m from the government…..
…and I’m here to protect you. Not! The USDA is announcing a plan to open our markets to cattle and beef from Brazil….despite the fact that that country is plagued by Foot and Mouth Disease…the most deadly disease that can infect cattle. Apparently the plan is to chop down the prices US cattlemen have been getting for beef. Brazil’s herd is about three times the size of the American herd, so this should do it. Thanks to Bill Roberts for this link: http://r-calfusa.com/news_releases/2013/131220-Brazil.htm When they get here, the meat and live animals will presumably be inspected by the same crack teams that have passed these chickens. (not to mention all…
-
The bugs win!!!
An important milestone that won’t get much press coverage: A top-level health officials say we have indeed “run the course” of antibiotics. Super-bugs have won the battle and there’s nowhere we can turn. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2477273/Weve-reached-end-antibiotics-Top-CDC-expert-declares-miracle-drugs-saved-millions-match-superbugs-people-overmedicated-themselves.html Just a few days ago, there was an article…one of dozens we’ve seen…worrying about where all this is headed. But now, as we read in the first story above, we don’t have to worry about where we’re headed. We’re there. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/feeding-antibiotics-to-cows-is-bad-for-humans-but-congress-wont-stop-it-new-report-says/2013/10/22/ecd2de08-3afd-11e3-a94f-b58017bfee6c_story.html It’s the same group of Merchants of Death (Monsanto, et al) inflicting GMO on us that have, of course, blocked any attempt to control the use of antibiotics in feeding animals. Like hormones, antibiotics speed…
-
It’s not enough….
….we have to fill out forms, register and track our animals, etc, etc. We also have to keep the place neat. Certainly no bushes growing near the road. A small organic farm in Texas committed that sin but the sheriff just didn’t drop by with a warning….or just a summons. Nope, he sent the SWAT team in! Again, you think I exaggerate. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/15/texas-swat-team-conducts-_n_3764951.html