Happy Agriculture Day
STATEMENT OF SENATOR HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON CELEBRATING NATIONAL AGRICULTURE DAY
“I am so proud to celebrate - today and every day - the rich heritage and immense diversity of agriculture in New York State. Agriculture is the heart of our rural communities in upstate New York; it fosters strong social relationships and it strengthens the overall economy by providing jobs and creating local businesses. I believe strongly in supporting the programs that help New York farmers, because so much of our own livelihood and well-being depends upon the fruits of their labors.
The future of agriculture is critical to New York’s economy. We must therefore continue to fight for rural and economic development programs, resource conservation programs, and specialty crop programs that are vital to our family farms and rural communities. I recognize the growing importance and demand for New York State agricultural products and am continually working to promote the growth of the agricultural industry, by creating innovative value-added opportunities for the production, distribution and marketing of New York State commodities.”
There are four types of agriculture:
1) Large scale, corporatate, capital intensive agriculture, like the meat factories and massive grain farms.
2) Labor intensive agriculture, mostly fruits and vegtables.
3) Innovative agriculture -- higher prices, but with enough value added to make it worth it, like gourmet and organic.
4) Half-ass agriculture, the same as in the 1950s but expecting a 21st century standard of living.
Most of our federal programs go to subsidize capital intensive corporate agriculture, which is basically a ripoff. New York has mostly half-ass agriculture, which also exists on (less) subsidy. Labor intensive agriculture means imports or exploited illegal aliens.
The only type of agriculture that has a chance to succeed in New York is innovative agriculture, which gets no support and no interest at all.
One symbol of this is the State Fair, which is stuck in the past. It should be rechirstened the State Food Fair, and become a place where innovative agriculuture producers, non-fast food restaurants, and non-industrial food sellers can get together and do business deals, and the rest of us can eat. And everything you eat there should be produced in the state.
Good to see NY’s favorite Mad Cow honoring Agriculture Day.