Farm subsidies

Hey,

Its been a busy week, finals coming up and im trying to stay on top of things. Going good so far an di hope it keeps getting better. Jana was my sisi's birth day and i wasn't even able to call her yanni, i feel mbaya, but i'll make sure I do soon. Anyway I read this interesting blog on 'soul on ice's blog and thought id reproduce it here since i really dont have time to blog a long one.


Was listening to a radio show about the Chealsea flower show. One of the organisers was on a big rant how the proposed hose pipe ban would kill off this prestigious event. A cynical smile crept over my face. In Somalia citizens and animal are dying from the lack of this liquid gold and here's a guy ranting over a stupid flower show? Makes you want to pick up the phone and scream at the fool. But you check yourself. This is his concern and the plight of people in a faraway land doesnt cut into his world view. but no. it's his world view that's kept these people from developing a strategy to deal with mother nature's fury. I pray for the Somalians cos the drought is a vicious one. don't waste the water.

So this is all about world view. Some things make you pull your hair out and moan. Take the farm subsidy for example. This ish was put in place to help Europe redevelop their agricultural industry after the second world war. war's long over so why is it still in place? whats the point of trade talks when the landscape is unbalanced. and what do they do with the money anyway? found this great letter in a newspaper, The Captial News (right wing but i tend to read all sorts anyway, gotta know what the others are saying):



Open Letter to the UK secretary of state for agriculture

Sir,

My friend, who is in farming at the moment, received a cheque for £3,000 from the government for not rearing pigs. I now wish to go into the rearing pigs' business.

In your opinion, what is the best kind of farm not to rear pigs on, and which is the best breed of pigs not to rear? I want to be sure I approach this endeavour in keeping with all government policies, as dictated by the EU under the Common Agricultural Policy.

I would prefer not to rear bacon pigs, but if this is not the type you want rearing. I will just as gladly not rear porkers. Are there any advantages in not rearing breeds such as Saddlebacks or Gloucester Old spots, or are there too many people already not rearing these?

As I see it the hardest part of this programme will be keepping an accurate of how many pigs I haven't reared.

Are there any Government Local Authority courses on this? My friend is very satisfied with this business. He has reared pigs for twenty years or so, the best he ever made on them was £1,422 in 1968 until this year when he received a cheque for not rearing any.

If I get £3,000 for not rearing 50 pigs will i get £6000 for not rearing 100?

I plan to operate on a small scale at first, holding myself down to about 4,000 pigs not raised which will mean about £240,000 for the first year. Then I can afford to buy an aeroplane.

Another point. These pigs I plan not to rear will not eat 2,000 tons of cereals. I understand that you also pay farmers for not growing crops. Will I qualify for payments for not growing cereals to not feed the pigs i don't rear? I am also considering the not milking cows business so please send me the information you have on that to. Please could you also include the Government information on set-aside fields? Can this be done on an e-commercial basis with virtual-reality fields?

In view of the above you will realise I will be totally unemployed, and will qualify for unemployment benefit. I shalll of course vote for you at the next general election.

Sincerely

The Laughing No-Pig Farmer.