Comments on: Bill Gates Gets into Farming http://corncommentary.com/2008/01/28/bill-gates-gets-into-farming/ The blog about corn farming and American agriculture Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:12:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: farmer Jay http://corncommentary.com/2008/01/28/bill-gates-gets-into-farming/#comment-524 farmer Jay Wed, 30 Jan 2008 13:19:21 +0000 http://corncommentary.com/2008/01/28/bill-gates-gets-into-farming/#comment-524 Bill is wrong. In the USA over the past 150 years 199 of every 200 people have been removed from farming while increaseing production. Making farming in the USA more efficent thus allowing those 199 people to do something else in society. What the Gates support will do is just keep small farming small, ineffecent and just above the poverty line. Much like fair trade coffee. In the end the crop support and subsities will become 90% of their farm revenue. Grain farmers in the USA plan to make as little as $50 an acer/ $0.25 a bushel. African and South Asia small farmer's can not produce at that level. Gates would be better of moving small farmers into the city and find them new jobs to develope new economies in these developing countries. Moving 199 of 200 workers off the farm is painful but it was done in the USA and it can be done else where. Bill is wrong. In the USA over the past 150 years 199 of every 200 people have been removed from farming while increaseing production. Making farming in the USA more efficent thus allowing those 199 people to do something else in society. What the Gates support will do is just keep small farming small, ineffecent and just above the poverty line. Much like fair trade coffee. In the end the crop support and subsities will become 90% of their farm revenue. Grain farmers in the USA plan to make as little as $50 an acer/ $0.25 a bushel. African and South Asia small farmer’s can not produce at that level.

Gates would be better of moving small farmers into the city and find them new jobs to develope new economies in these developing countries. Moving 199 of 200 workers off the farm is painful but it was done in the USA and it can be done else where.

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