10-17-2008, 02:13 PM
quote:Although that is true, ethanol is not the real culprit of rising food cost.
Originally posted by JWFITZ
every square inch of agricultural land that goes to feeding machines is land NOT used for feeding ourselves.
Each year, over 60,000 acres of cropland is sold for development. In Iowa one 150 acre plot was sold for a golf course. That plot produced around 23,000 bushels of corn the previous years. In Kansas, upwards of 37,500 acres of farm land that produced corn was replaced by tract homes in 2006. Missouri had a 200 acre farm lot that was paved over to make way for a discount retailer. And Arizona lost over 1,900 acres of corn and cotton farms to computer chipmakers. This repeats itself everyday.
Look at Hawaii, how many acres of "agricultural" land is producing squat? How many acres are people's private homes with absolutely no intention of producing anything but a real estate tax break for the owners?
If you ask me, we are no longer a country of produces, we are a country of consumers. Let’s face it, if food rose $50 a month and cable TV rose $50 a month, guess which one many people would cut back on. Check out one of those super centers when a person will complain over a ten cents rise in carrots, yet will swap out their 2 month old cell phone for the newest and greatest without blinking an eye.
Here’s an interesting project. Look at the total acreage of agricultural land and total number of producing agricultural land on the Big Island in 1985. Compare it to the total numbers today. What jumped out at you right away?