February 06, 2007
If Rural Really Mattered
The latest newsletter from the Center for Rural Affairs leads with this question: "If rural really mattered, what would it look like in America?" The impetus for asking the question was a visit to the farm of Ron Mardesen near Elliot, Iowa. Mardesen raises hogs but his is a diversified farming operation and he sells to a "premium trough."
I don't think that we would agree that a farming practice that relies on selling high priced product to a premium market will work for everyone. There just are not enough people with that much money. But the rest of the project seems to be going in the right direction.
I wonder what others think America would look like if rural really mattered.
Posted by Wes at 04:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 19, 2005
Key Issues
Earlier in 2005, the participants in the ruralgreens discussion list brought forward suggestions for a list of issues that were key to rural America. Linda Cree pulled the input together and came up with the following list. Then, there were two other topic areas which were suggested to be added: Energy and other resources (water, forests, fisheries). It is all about how we use our resources.
I forsee that we can eventually utilize the comments area of this blog to work each of these into a potition document for the national Green Party.
- LAND USE PLANNING conserving rural areas, rural revitalization, pros and
cons of Smart Growth movement, suburban sprawl, rural gentrification,
corporate colonization of rural areas, promotion of bio-regional thinking,
population issues- ORGANIC FARMING
- support for small-scale, labor-intensive, organic
farming, local production, farmers' markets, seed-saving, opposition to
agri-business, genetically engineered crops, corporate control of the global
food supply - ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION
- sustainable forest management, better env'l laws
to stop pollution, support for more wilderness areas and wilderness
corridors, water issues, support for alternative energy, pros and cons of
some alternative energy proposals such as large windfarms, global warming,
voluntary simplicity, and also including "Speaking for Wolf" concept and
support for the Seventh Generation Amendment - TAXATION ISSUES
- geonomics, a "luxury" energy tax, pros and cons of
various kinds of property taxes, tax breaks for small mom and pop businesses - RURAL POVERTY
- support for living minimum wage, universal health care,
strengthening social security, affordable rural housing, making small
parcels of land more available to would-be organic farmers, orchardists,
etc. - PROMOTING RURAL PERSPECTIVES WITHIN THE GPUS
- gaining official caucus
status, being a voice for the rural viewpoint - EDUCATION
- in the schools, the use of local Green "experts," outreach to
promote our stands on all of the above
Posted by Wes at 07:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack