(no subject)

[bzarcher]

I wonder if anyone from the Dispatch realizes the hypocrisy of running one headline about the plight of the farmer, then an editorial right next to it about how we must eliminate the Scourge of Tobacco.

What do they think a lot of profitable farmers grow out here? It's not as common a crop as it is in some states, but it's still #3 or #4...

Comments

[avylin.livejournal.com]

They could farm something else, no? (Soy! Soy! Soy!) I'm not a farmworker, myself, though, I don't know how much specialization each crop necessitates.

[gigerlicious.livejournal.com]

Basically you sit on your ass until the government cuts you a subsidy check.

[avylin.livejournal.com]

Ouch.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

As Patrick implied, switching crop is expensive. Usually involves completely re-tooling your fields, feed, harvests, and sometimes even your heavy equipment. (A harvester that's rigged to do a beautiful job at harvesting corn isn't going to work for soy or wheat, and you'd need to go out and get all new attachments and tools for it.)

Around here, I believe the #1 crop is still corn, with a top five of potatoes, tobacoo, wheat, and soy in various positions, followed by some of the fruit farmers, but that's mostly things like pumpkin and other melons, or apples and berries.