A SATURDAY FOOD CHAIN RELEASE FROM METROFARM.COM

There are simply too many farmers! At least, that seems to be the contention of Undersecretary of Agriculture for Rural Development nominee Thomas Dorr. His solution? Replace family-scaled farms with 225,000-acre giants and reduce rural America to 1 farm for every 350 square miles.

This Saturday morning at 9am Pacific on AM 1080 KSCO, AM 1340 KOMY, AM 1480 KGOE and 107.5KMPH, the Saturday Food Chain with Michael Olson hosts Iowa farmers Darrel Bailey and George Naylor for a conversation about the Dorr nomination for Undersecretary of Agriculture for Rural Development. Topics include a profile of Thomas Dorr from his neighboring Iowa farmers; what the industrialization of agriculture means to rural America; and the security issues raised when many farm families are replaced by few farm corporations.

Listeners are invited to call the live program with questions and comments at 831-479-1080 or 831-477-1340. If you are unable to receive these radio stations, YOU CAN LISTEN to the Food Chain as a live stream or as a recorded archive by logging on the radio page at www.metrofarm.com.

You can also share your thoughts on this subject at the discussion group: http://bbs.cartserver.com/bbs/p/2466/index.cgi.

-- TomK(mich) (tjk@cac.net), March 28, 2002

Answers

Thanks Tom..will try to catch that..sounds like an interesting show.

-- sher in iowa (riverdobbers@webtv.net), March 28, 2002.

Now you know why the people of Iowa don't even want this guy. He is currently being investigated for getting too much money in government subsidies. He structured his farms to get more than the max allowed.

-- beckie (none@this.time), March 28, 2002.

Let them (gobament) do whatever they desire. The truth is that the consumer will direct future of agriculture. Best news is that American consumers are beginning to care where their food comes from and how it is grown. Even out here in the booneys I am surprised by the number of people who are purchasing shares in our Community Supported Agriculture Farm. They want to know it is produced locally and without chemicals of any kind. Consumers demands is resulting in powerful change.

-- Calvin (calvin@dwave.net), March 28, 2002.

When I hear political nominees speak drivel like this I just cringe. Obviously this man has never really examined the interdependent network of the rural community. A large share of the problem we have already in rural areas is the legacy of the vertically integrating programs of prior administrations. You cannot rip apart the agrarian economy like this man proposes to do. One farm conglomerate will not support the implement dealers, feed mills, small businesses, etc. etc. etc. in a manner to allow the small town to be a viable economic eneterprise. It takes people. What's more, is vertical control on agriculture like this man's proposals is highly dependent on locating the supply of foodstuff at a long distance from its consumer....read "continued dependence on foreign oil" and "continued destruction of our abilities to withstand dislocations in our society that can foul up delivery systems". In other words, you'd better pray all the little cogs are working fine all in a row or your dinner plate is going to be empty.

-- Sandra Nelson (Magin@starband.net), March 28, 2002.

No, the government does not care about the small communities and does not believe the smallholders even exists.

From this policy rises the birth of the Pirate Farmer.

-- Laura S. (LadybugWrangler@somewhere.com), March 30, 2002.

I agree with Laura. Wish I had one of those 350 square miles farms to divide to people like us, though.

-- Robin Downing (Southpawrobin1@aol.com), March 30, 2002.

Thomas Dorr: a flunkie for Bush if ever their was one.

-- fred (fred@mddc.com), March 30, 2002.

Thomas Dorr should have lived in Soviet Russia, 30 years ago. He would have loved it. Marilyn in CO

-- Marilyn in CO (www.tomeatbeef@aol.com), March 30, 2002.