John Ikerd, agricultural economist, rattled the rafters, with his explosive attack on centralized, globalized, monopolized agriculture 

Ikerd has coined a cross-generation Golden Rule, which says, “[Do unto]... those of future generations, as we would have them do for us, if we were of their generation and they were of ours”.

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Ejecting centralized, standardized, monopolized food production from the American portfolio by Ann Maurice Ad Hoc committee for Clean Water.

John Ikerd, agricultural economist, rattled the rafters, with his explosive attack on centralized, globalized, monopolized agriculture at the UC Extension  symposium on sustainable agriculture in Woodland. He warned that the centralization of production and the single-minded pursuit of profit is creating a crisis. Alarm bells are sounding, but are we listening? Global food production, he says, is coming under the control of a handful of multinationals that want to tell the world how and where food will be produced, and who gets to eat it. Will we panic when we wake up one day and realize that the American farmer is a relic of the past and that our food is being imported, like our shirts and tennis shoes, and that we are dependent on the multinationals and the rest of the world for our food just as we are for oil? How many small wars will be fought, he asks, and people killed to maintain our food supply? Is the pursuit of cheap overseas food production worth the cost we might ultimately be forced to pay?

Ikerd argues that agribusiness, in its narrow-minded pursuit of cheaper food and greater production and profits, is destroying the natural environment, mining the soil through erosion, polluting streams and groundwater with pesticides, commercial fertilizers and waste from giant confined animal feeding facilities. While we destroy genetic diversity above and below the soil, we are turning once creative, productive, innovative and successful farmers who knew each tree in their orchards and the idiosyncracies of the cows in their herds, into “tractor drivers and hoghouse janitors”.

The problem, he says, is that this outdated, destructive agricultural economics of agri-mega-business, has cut the environment and the society out of the decision-making process and narrowed the pursuit to the infamous monetary bottom line -- the corporate mega-moguls lowering themselves to the economics of greed rather than rising to the economics of enlightenment.

Cheers and applause punctuated his talk and at the end, a standing ovation. Ikerd, a dynamic  professor emeritus from the Agricultural Economics Department of the University of Missouri, pulled no punches. His passion and depth of commitment to the responsible American farmer were a profound inspiration. Get rid of that narrow-mindedly selfish corporate model, he advised. It is disconnected from the whole of society and all that gives true meaning and purpose to our lives.  A connection with others, with other living creatures, with past and future generations is the real source of happiness, not the single-minded pursuit of profit.

And the more enlightened future? Agricultural industrialization for the sake of “efficiency” is dead or should be. “Society needs a more enlightened system of decision-making”, he opines, a “sustainable” agriculture that integrates economic, ecological and social decisions. And what is this “Sustainability”? Ikerd has coined a cross-generation Golden Rule, which says, “[Do unto]... those of future generations, as we would have them do for us, if we were of their generation and they were of ours”.

“Sustainable” farming is thinking farming. “It requires an ability to translate observation into information, information into knowledge, knowledge into understanding, and understanding into wisdom”. This “sustainable” paradigm is taking hold, he says, by thousands of famers all across the country who are replacing the industrial model, calling themselves different names like organic, bio-dynamic or alternative, and pursuing common responsible goals. “They are getting little help from the government, universities or the agricultural establishment”, but more and more are finding a way to succeed! “They market to people who care where their food comes from and how it is produced -- locally grown, organic, humanely raised, hormone and antibiotic free, etc.” And, these new farmers “increase value, reduce costs, and increase profits while protecting the environment and helping to build stronger local communities”.

And, as enlightened, informed consumers, have we identified these “new farmers” in our community, become fiercely loyal supporters, purchasing their product, sending them the message that we recognize their dedication and commitment?  These “new” consumer-responsive, socially and ecologically responsible farmers, will bring growers and the public back together in common purpose. And this may not really be “new” at all, just farming the good old fashioned way. Grampa knew the sun, the moon, the soil, the earthworms and all of nature, in the long run, produced the best food.

Ikerd’s message is a powerful one: Keep our farmers economically productive, socially and ecologically responsible and keep our food production HERE.   [ Read Ikerd’s Speech]

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