On Wed, 26 Dec 2007 06:38:50 -0500, Bill Truesdell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:


>When we had small farms the cost of food for a normal family was more
>than 1/3 of their income. By 1960 the cost was 20% and is now 11%.
>


that gets to the core of the sustainability question. as food prices as a percent of income declined 
obesity has gone up, rural economies have declined ,  environmental issues have increased, and the 
income generated by food production has moved upstream to the processors. 

so if food was to cost more if we had less emphasis on industrial Ag would that be such a bad 
tradeoff if we could reverse some of the negatives I listed?

I just don't see the glory in cheap food.  

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