Farming strike not an option
By Benjamin Wileman
Published: Monday, October 12, 2009
Kansas State Collegian
What if America's farmers went on strike?
What would happen?
Strikes are not an uncommon tool used, mostly by union organizations, to force the hand of companies they work for to come to the bargaining table and solve issues important to them. Several industries have used this practice, or threats of it, somewhat routinely - like the auto, airline, and package delivery industries. Recent farmer-based strikes in South America and Europe and conversations with U.S. producers got me thinking about what would happen if America's farmers went on strike.
As with many strikes, timing is important. The goal is to exert as much leverage on the company as possible so the company is inclined to negotiate quicker and with more concessions in order to not disrupt production or service at a key time. Such is often the case in the airline industry just before peak travel times around the holidays.
In the case of farming, the key times for the largest crops (corn and soybeans) would be the spring planting and the fall harvest. Let's say then, for this discussion, that the farmers chose May and June to strike. What would that look like? Read More
I’ve shared a few articles coming from our college newspapers across the country that displayed the sometimes unbelievable lack of understanding about food production. Because of that, it’s also important for me to share with you the good things that are being said. The K-State Collegian was one of the papers that featured a pro-vegetarian piece that featured some incredible half-truths and unresearched misconceptions about agriculture. The only way to combat these misunderstandings is to pull ourselves up by the boot straps and do it ourselves. This column by Dr. Wileman is a good example of that. It’s easy for most people to take for granted that there will always bee food on the shelves and he sheds some light on the amount of dedication and work it takes to make that happen.
Showing posts with label Kansas State Collegian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kansas State Collegian. Show all posts
Monday, October 12, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
K-State Journalism Student Misinformed About Ag
Vegetarianism: More than just a lifestyle
By Beth Mendenhall
Published: Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Kansas State Collegian
Bacon is delicious. I know it, you know it, even the pigs probably know it. Despite its tastiness, however, eating meat is bad for the environment and human health and causes billions of animals to suffer needlessly.
Albert Einstein once said, “Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet,” and he was right. This is especially true today as mechanized industrial farming has become the norm for poultry and swine production, and cattle feedlots have increased drastically in size and number.
Livestock agriculture is the leading cause of soil and water pollution, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This is due in part to over fertilization of food crops — there is simply too much excrement and not enough land to absorb it without causing massive runoff into the water table. Waste from processing facilities, like Tyson’s meatpacking plants, adds to the problem. A U.N. report also identified factory farms as the leading cause of anthropogenic (human-caused) greenhouse gas emissions, more so than all modes of transportation combined. Simply put, our environment was not meant to handle the massive amounts of waste produced by industrial livestock operations or the fossil fuel emissions required to ship meat from rural communities to cities. Read More
Here’s another great example of “google journalism”, which has replaced actual research that used to require stepping away from your desk. This reporter is entitled to her own opinion, but not her own facts. It’s apparent that she is relying on Hollywood movies and anti-animal agriculture biased books for her information. The biggest, most glaring mistake that she makes is that she never actually talks to the people that she is attempting to vilify. The most disappointing aspect of this situation is the fact that some journalism professor probably signed off on this article for it to be published in the university newspaper. That person is obviously not doing their job in teaching the next generation about this profession that is losing credibility on a daily basis.
By Beth Mendenhall
Published: Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Kansas State Collegian
Bacon is delicious. I know it, you know it, even the pigs probably know it. Despite its tastiness, however, eating meat is bad for the environment and human health and causes billions of animals to suffer needlessly.
Albert Einstein once said, “Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet,” and he was right. This is especially true today as mechanized industrial farming has become the norm for poultry and swine production, and cattle feedlots have increased drastically in size and number.
Livestock agriculture is the leading cause of soil and water pollution, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This is due in part to over fertilization of food crops — there is simply too much excrement and not enough land to absorb it without causing massive runoff into the water table. Waste from processing facilities, like Tyson’s meatpacking plants, adds to the problem. A U.N. report also identified factory farms as the leading cause of anthropogenic (human-caused) greenhouse gas emissions, more so than all modes of transportation combined. Simply put, our environment was not meant to handle the massive amounts of waste produced by industrial livestock operations or the fossil fuel emissions required to ship meat from rural communities to cities. Read More
Here’s another great example of “google journalism”, which has replaced actual research that used to require stepping away from your desk. This reporter is entitled to her own opinion, but not her own facts. It’s apparent that she is relying on Hollywood movies and anti-animal agriculture biased books for her information. The biggest, most glaring mistake that she makes is that she never actually talks to the people that she is attempting to vilify. The most disappointing aspect of this situation is the fact that some journalism professor probably signed off on this article for it to be published in the university newspaper. That person is obviously not doing their job in teaching the next generation about this profession that is losing credibility on a daily basis.
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