In sci.agriculture Jim Webster wrote:

"Brian Sandle" wrote in message
...

Linkname: AGNET AUGUST 27
URL: http://131.104.232.9/agnet/2002/8-20..._august_27.htm
Last Mod: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 11:38:17 GMT
size: 1169 lines


[...]
US FARMERS REAP HEAVY PENALTY FOR SOWING GM CROPS
August 27, 2002
New Zealand Herald
[...]
GM crops have, says
Hatchard, had a disastrous impact on United States farm economies.
[...]
All around, the US food industry has lost billions of dollars in
exports
since introducing GM crops.
US maize prices are at their lowest for 30 years - down from US$3
($6.43) to
$1.30 ($2.79) a bushel.
In 1996, before GM crops were introduced, US maize farmers made a
profit of
US$1.4 billion.
Last year, they lost US$12 billion. The US Government picked up a
third of
this through farm subsidies. Our Government could never afford to
protect
farmers this way.

note that UK farm profitability matches the US figures except we don't have
GM

You have a related problem - another unnatural agricultural procedure that
was warned about: feeding meat to cattle, causing spread of BSE.

the article is so grossly simplistic as to be fatuous

Such statements as we often see from the agbiotech sector, that we have to
get up production to feed the world are rather stupid. There are surpluses
aren't there? Work is what is needed, and the chance to learn about
nature. It is a very tough way of having farmers learn about nature by
having them coping with giving their allegiance to herbicide tolerant
crops for more profit but finding that they have to spend a whole lot more
since the weeds have become tolerant.

If new herbicides are developed the same thing will happen again and the
farmers will go under further.

The FAO is pushing non-GM for the developing countries. Now I see some
farmers in UK are working like third world farmers for very low hourly
rates.

"Brian Sandle" wrote in message
...
In sci.agriculture Jim Webster wrote:

"Brian Sandle" wrote in message
...

Linkname: AGNET AUGUST 27
URL: http://131.104.232.9/agnet/2002/8-20..._august_27.htm
Last Mod: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 11:38:17 GMT
size: 1169 lines


[...]
US FARMERS REAP HEAVY PENALTY FOR SOWING GM CROPS
August 27, 2002
New Zealand Herald
[...]
GM crops have, says
Hatchard, had a disastrous impact on United States farm economies.
[...]
All around, the US food industry has lost billions of dollars in
exports
since introducing GM crops.
US maize prices are at their lowest for 30 years - down from US$3
($6.43) to
$1.30 ($2.79) a bushel.
In 1996, before GM crops were introduced, US maize farmers made a
profit of
US$1.4 billion.
Last year, they lost US$12 billion. The US Government picked up a
third of
this through farm subsidies. Our Government could never afford to
protect
farmers this way.

note that UK farm profitability matches the US figures except we don't
have
GM

You have a related problem - another unnatural agricultural procedure that
was warned about: feeding meat to cattle, causing spread of BSE.

and that affects wheat prices exactly how?

BSE did impinge on beef prices

Jim Webster

On 21 Aug 2003 03:41:31 GMT, Brian Sandle
posted:

You have a related problem - another unnatural agricultural procedure that
was warned about: feeding meat to cattle, causing spread of BSE.

Feeding meat to cattle is NOT "unnatuaral". And "unnaturalness" has
nothing to do with BSE.

the article is so grossly simplistic as to be fatuous

Such statements as we often see from the agbiotech sector, that we have to
get up production to feed the world are rather stupid. There are surpluses
aren't there?

Not where the folks are starving, and that's what counts.

Work is what is needed, and the chance to learn about
nature. It is a very tough way of having farmers learn about nature by
having them coping with giving their allegiance to herbicide tolerant
crops for more profit but finding that they have to spend a whole lot more
since the weeds have become tolerant.

Where has this happened? Other than the natural level of weeds
becoming tolerant of different circumstances

If new herbicides are developed the same thing will happen again and the
farmers will go under further.

Go under what? Are you saying that weed control is a useless activity?

The FAO is pushing non-GM for the developing countries.

URL so we can read why?

Now I see some
farmers in UK are working like third world farmers for very low hourly
rates.

Are you confusing deregulation/globalisation with technological
progress?