<Presidential Energy Debate Fact Check #1: Is Offshore Drilling the Answer? The Oil Drum DrumBeat: October 10, 2008>

87 comments on Peak phosphorus: Quoted reserves vs. production history

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bikerboyOR on October 9, 2008 - 2:49pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Modern intensive farming isn't done because it's the best way; it's done because it's the cheapest way.

There is some question about that as well. A fair number of people have suggested that seed producers make more money under the intensive farming model than they can under other models, and since they pretty much have a monopoly on telling farmers when and how to plant, they act on that monopoly to maximize their profits (at the expense of affordability.)

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puhkawn on October 9, 2008 - 4:24pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Sorry, but that doesn't make much sense to me. Seed producers need farmers as much as farmers need them. Your comment doesn't even fit some crops. For example, rice and sugar cane. No "seed producers" own the sugar cane varies currently grown in Louisiana. The same goes for most of the rice grown in Louisiana, too. Just who are these "fair number of people" and where have they said this?
Finally my observation is that the farmers are usually the driving force behind plant breeders. It is the farmer that tells the plant breeder he needs a variety that he can start harvesting a week earlier, one that sets its fruit higher to make it easier to harvest, and so on. I know this because I used to serve on a committee that allowed plant breeders and researchers to interact with farmers.

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airdale on October 9, 2008 - 8:10pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Don't know about rice and cane in Louisana but here in the vast midwest where most of the grains(corn,soybeans and wheat) your exposition is just not the way it is.

A bag of seed corn now runs in the neighborhood of $200 and depending on 'population' will seed about 2 and 1/2 acres. GMO can be even higher. The farmer is not in control...The seed companies are ..even to the extend of spying on farmers and taking them to court.

Read a few farmer forums and you will soon see the disdain that most farmers hold for the big Ag seed companies. They pretty much get whipsawed.

Airdale

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Anti_Elvis on October 9, 2008 - 5:43pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Do some research into Monsanto. I'd say more but I'm afraid they'd sue me. ;-)

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87 comments on Peak phosphorus: Quoted reserves vs. production history

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