The War on Farming

We have so many 'wars' gong on in this country, what's one more?

The regulations on farming are bad enough but they're about to get worse.

In Michigan, they're dealing with a 'feral swine' ban. Anyone raising certain species of hogs had to dispose of them by April 1 of this year. Hog farmers are being subjected to raids and searched for the now illegal swine. Some other states have instituted similar legislation. NY wants to tell you how much salt to use and CA says you can't buy your kid a happy meal. And how many places have shut down lemon-aid stands?

Now come the feds. The Department of Labor wants to regulate what farm kids can do on the farm and the Department of Justice is seizing the bank accounts of farmers.

This country is turned upside down and spinning on it's head. The idiots are in charge.

Locally, and I'm sure in other places as well, there is a group pushing the '30-mile meal'. The idea is to buy as much as possible within 30 miles of your home. By doing this, you are supporting your farmer neighbors, getting fresher food, and reducing your 'carbon footprint' by reducing the miles required to transport food. Even though the majority of the people involved in this little project are on the opposite end of the political spectrum from me, I still like the idea.

If a project of this type were to really catch on and take off, the government MUST get the hell out of the way. I want to be able to visit for a minute or two with the neighbor when I stop to buy milk. Can't buy milk from the neighbor now. The government says so. I can't have a neighbor butcher my calf for me. The government says so. I can't have a neighbor buy goat meat from me. The government says so. Want to sell excess produce from your backyard garden? Forget it. It's not that it's impossible to do these things, but if you are going to do them legally, it is time consuming and very expensive to get the permits and build the facilities the government requires.

Evidently the government doesn't think they have enough control. The government is now telling farm families they can no longer have their children do farm chores. And if you don't deposit all of your earnings into your bank account, the government takes it from you under The Bank Secrecy Act. This kind of legislation will drive small producers out of business. The small producers are you and your neighbors.

Why? The government says our kids are too fat. They should get more exercise and eat healthier they say. Yet they now want farm kids to sit and do nothing and would rather kids eat produce from Mexico as opposed to buying lettuce from a local farmer. The government keeps pushing the idea that we should be using less gas and reducing our carbon footprint but makes it impossible to do that when it comes to buying our most basic needs. They are taking control of the food supply at an alarming rate and we are either powerless to stop it or too stupid to see the big picture.

He who controls the food supply, controls the people.

Soylent Green anyone?