04/March/22

 

Important new research assesses the fiscal health of US agriculture – and finds that it is dire. The study finds that though US farms are more productive than ever before, rising input costs, volatile production values, and rising land rents have left farmers with unprecedented levels of farm debt, low on-farm incomes, and high reliance on federal programmes. The authors criticise the paradigm that prioritises productivity and efficiency above other factors, since these do not necessarily equate to livelihood gains. They conclude, "The value being produced by US farms is not being captured by the people who operate US farms." They recommend a rethink of the goals of agriculture to favour sustainable systems that enhance the environment and the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

 

 

After a 10-year fight, peasant farmers in Honduras have won a resounding victory. The Honduran Supreme Court of Justice has unanimously declared the "Monsanto Law", which made it illegal to save, give away, or exchange seeds, unconstitutional. GRAIN