<Let's Talk Gas Tax (Poll)The Oil DrumDrumBeat: September 19, 2006>
<BBC: Driven by OilThe Oil Drum: EuropeOil export - import model for the UK>

30 comments on UK Agriculture, Organic Farming and Relocalisation

Comments can no longer be added to this story.

Practical economist on September 19, 2006 - 11:02am Permalink | Subthread | Comments top
I just visited a farm in the Napa Valley where they go to exquisite lengths to produce fully organic produce, which they then offer (no kidding) to Federal Express to you overnight, anywhere in the continental US.

Organic farming is 99% about vanity and 1% at best about efficiency of any sort, energy or otherwise. So dream on.

The most insightful commentary on this sort of agriculture was provided years ago by Frank Zappa ('I might be moving to Montana soon... just to raise me up a crop of dental floss...').

0
Comments can no longer be added to this story.
liferaft on September 19, 2006 - 11:22am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
The principles I apply whenever purchasing food are: in season, local first, then organic.
0
Comments can no longer be added to this story.
alistairC on September 19, 2006 - 11:35am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
This is certainly the way John Q Public sees organic farming, because he only sees the niche-market luxury stuff. These people are playing the organics game to make money.

Oddly enough, that's not the way the bulk of organic farming works. (N.B. I'm mostly talking about France/Europe, your mileage may vary). People do organics because they believe in it. You can generally be pretty sure they DO believe in it, because there's no money in it. Almost without exception, they would be better off financially doing non-organics.

The philosophical overtones of organics doesn't lend itself well to recognisable brand names and national distribution. It's mostly brown paper bags and limited shelf life. You're only likely to know about it if you live nearby, or buy your groceries at a co-op.

0
Comments can no longer be added to this story.
eric blair on September 19, 2006 - 5:46pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Organic farming is 99% about vanity and 1% at best about efficiency of any sort, energy or otherwise. So dream on.

Really?

And you know this because?

0
Comments can no longer be added to this story.
p on September 20, 2006 - 2:42am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Why is it that economists seem to think that ad hominem attacks are convincing arguments? And what does that say about their relig^H^H^Hprofession?

0
Comments can no longer be added to this story.
oaksmoke on September 20, 2006 - 7:21am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Nonsense. The goal of organic farming is not to save energy. Although by not using fertilizers it may save some energy. Organic farming is all about the quality of the food. It is also much more sustainable because of the building of the soil. The taste of food is very important. If vegetables taste good people eat more vegetables and receive health benefits.
0
Comments can no longer be added to this story.
eric blair on September 20, 2006 - 7:28am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Organic farming is 99% about vanity and 1% at best about efficiency of any sort, energy or otherwise. So dream on.

The most insightful commentary on this sort of agriculture was provided years ago by Frank Zappa ('I might be moving to Montana soon... just to raise me up a crop of dental floss...').

I notice you've not responded to the question about HOW you obtained your 99%/1% position.   Given the most insightful thing you have to say about the matter is "raising dental floss", I am not shocked.

But feel free to comment on the products of non-organic farming methods ending up in penguins in the antartica, per Rachel Carson.

0
Comments can no longer be added to this story.