> From: AG Schnozz <agschnozz@xxxxxxxxx>
>
> It's far more profitable
> to turn that top-grade acreage into a subdivision.
It took a whole lot of words for you to finally agree with me, AG! :-)
I think it's fair to say that the situation is complex. After
boosting yields using "green revolution" techniques (basically,
applying petroleum to soil to produce food), China is steadily
falling shorter and shorter. The last time this happened was
(ironically) during the last energy crunch of the '70's, and then,
the US simply refused to sell them grain.
But two things are different now: 1) climate change and high fuel
prices are beginning to impact US grain production, and 2) China has
LOTS of little green IOUs that the US have been giving them in
exchange for cheap plastic crap. Before this decade is over, China's
going to need two grain ships a day from the US, 365 days a year,
just to break even. Will the US have all that extra grain? Maybe,
maybe not.
When your plot is doing good, it's hard to imagine that the aggregate
total is not looking so good. You may be looking forward to higher
prices. But some people won't eat because of those higher prices. The
global economy is very near a zero-sum game right now.
:::: The Apocalypse has Four Horsemen: climate change, habitat
destruction, industrial agriculture, and poverty. Each Horseman holds
a whip called Growth in his hand. None can be stopped unless all are
stopped. -- David Foley ::::
:::: Jan Steinman, Communication Steward, EcoReality <http://
www.EcoReality.org> ::::
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