| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Jen |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 6:26:49 PM
Last year, organic vegetable famer Jack Hedin rented 25 acres on two corn farms to plant watermelons, tomatoes, and vegetables. What he discovered—to the tune of $8,771 in fines—was that it’s illegal to grow fruit and veg on acres set aside for corn, he relates in his editorial in The New York Times. Turns out, the Farm Bill-mandated ban on growing fruits and vegetables in soil the government terms “base acres,” or land set aside for the exclusive planting of corn, wheat, oats, barley, sorghum, cotton, rice, soybeans, and canola or other oilseed crops, left many of us appalled—and then confused. Because it turns out that the ban—underscored by $25,000 in fines—is actually backed by the fruit and vegetable lobby, not the corn lobby. Huh?
http://www.plentymag.com/blogs/ecoeats/
Jen
Farmgirl Sisterhood Member #9
The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
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| 3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Jen |
Posted - May 19 2008 : 10:02:40 AM
Wonder how the soon-to-be INSANE petro prices will influence our screwy mega-monoculture farming system? I have hopes that things will be forced to change for the better...
Jen
Farmgirl Sisterhood Member #9
The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
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| Libbie |
Posted - May 17 2008 : 9:19:48 PM
WHAT ON EARTH?!?!?!? That is just incredible - and I mean unbelievable. I just cannot believe that there can be legally enforced "base acreage" for anything. I'll tell ya' the more I find out about the "business" of farming, the more I'm glad for my little spot here. And to think - the guy was growing FRUITS and VEGETABLES - and not some "shady" crops or anything like that. Fining a guy for growing food. It's just all too much, sometimes, isn't it?
XOXO, Libbie
"Farmgirl Sister #10," and proud of it!!! |
| baycrkgrl |
Posted - May 16 2008 : 7:17:43 PM
what is this world coming to when you get fined for growing food?! did they fight back legaly? sounds like a monsanto thing... |
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