Today, organic food and sustainable agriculture are mainstream issues of debate and concern, for both farmers and consumers. Parents are more concerned about what they feed their children, our government is concerned about the economic implications of reforming the agriculture industry and farmers are looking to satisfy the needs of the consumers. My should question is: Should Obama and the new administration increase sustainable farming incentives? My answer is: Yes.

Rewarding farmers for sustainable practices through government programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program is an effective way to stimulate change. Farmers who are now expected to alter the way they handle their land, face a costly battle of reforming their practices while maintaining profits. I think that all farms should be sustainable, and free from dangerous pesticides, but expecting the entire agriculture industry to change over night is unreasonable. Without government assistance, farmers who have yet to “ go green” are forced to sell more of their unsustainable product in order to compile enough capital to clean up reform their farms.  Ignoring the farming industry’s need for help will only prolong unhealthy and unsustainable practices. Farmers, both big and small need help, and we should give it to them. After all, we as consumers depend on the quality of their product.

On the other side of this argument, there are people who say that the existing demand for organic and sustainable agriculture products is sufficient to motivate farmers to “go green.” Jerry Gardener , of the ODA, conveyed a similar conveyed stance on the issue of increased incentives during my interview with him in February 2009. Agriculture is just like any other industry, in that whoever serves the consumer’s needs best will thrive. People want healthy pesticide-free food that is grown on farms that don’t damage the environment, and the farmer like Horizon Organic dairies, who offer this are succeeding In, addition farmers who add organic and sustainable certifications to their products increase the value of their product and can charge more for it.

I agree that the high level of consumer demand for sustainable agricultural products is enough to motivate farmers to increase sustainable practices on their farms. The problem is that desire to go green is not always enough. Since sustainability are relatively new concept to the industry, many farmers are unfamiliar with how to best implement and maintain these new methods farming practices. Often these procedures are complicated and expensive further emphasizing farmers need for assistance, both financially and educationally. I believe we need to train our farmers, and reward them for conducting sustainable farming. Until the industry is transformed and the sustainable practices are common knowledge, we need to work with our agricultural producers as they make the change from untenable to more viable practices.

Another competing argument against increased incentives is that the word’s current food shortage demands that we continue producing at the fastest, most productive rate possible. This stance makes the case that current large-scale commercial farming practices produce the most amount of food, and as we are in the midst of a food crisis. As we need all the production we can get, regardless of the ramifications. Environmental economic expert, Sean Rickard echoes this stance during on interview at a pesticide legislation on meeting in Brussels, Belgium on October 21^st 2008. Rickard believes that the word food market cannot risk lag time that would be required to change over to sustainable practices.

I think excusing baneful and damaging land practices because of our current food shortage is lazy and irresponsible. Continued use of corrosive pesticides will nullify soil productivity and compound the food shortage problem for future generations. The end does not justify the means. We cannot risk ruining the world’s farmland, and the ability of future generations to produce food tomorrow because we are hungry today. Jennifer Bogo’s article, Cows to Kilowatts in the Feb 2009 edition of Popular Mechanics is an example of a agricultural producer implementing sustainable practices while maintaining profits and production levels. We can’t blindly move forward with behavior we know is destructive without attempting to correct the problem. Arguments like Rickard’s will only increase our food shortage problem in the future.

I think the Obama administration should increase incentives for sustainable agriculture. It is very costly for farmers to convert from existing agriculture methods to sustainable ones, and if we want to clean up our agriculture industry, we should help educate and reward farmers for implementing sustainable practices. Without assistance, farmers who do not have the money to reform their farms will be forced to continue environmentally damaging land practices in order to earn the money to make the change. Consumer demand for organic and sustainable products is not always enough to see the change through. Many farmers are ignorant of and inexperienced in contemporary sustainable farming methods and need to be educated and supported in their movement to offer us healthier, more environmentally safe food.

Source Notes:

Depression and Pesticide Exposure: Academic Research

Horizon Organic: Business Institutional (Image)

What is Organic Worth? Meat Comparison: Academic Research

Green Screen for Poultry Farmers: Academic Research

Santa Monica Farmer’s Market: Alternative Journalistic (Image)

Farmland Information Center: Non-Profit Institutional (Multi-Media)

Environmental Enonomist Expert interviewed about Pesticide Legislation: Gov. Institution (Multi-Media)

Pesticide Parody: Citizen Blog ( Image)

ATF’s New President Jon Scholl: Non-Profit Institutional (Multi-Media)

Jamille Simpson Interview: Citizen Interview

How much poison do you want to eat?: Business Institution Blog

Please excuse the change in format and text size. My operating system has incompatibilities with WordPress

Interview with Jerry Gardner of the ODA: Expert Citizen Interview

Obama Excites Sustainable and Organic Farmers: Citizen Blog

What are Pesticides?: Institutional (Image)

Pesticides Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Pesticides and

Your Food?:    Institutional (Multi-Media)

Cost-Effective Pollution Control: Academic Research

The Seven Dimentions of Sustainable Agriculture: Business

Institutional (Image)

Interview with Renewable Energy Specialist Stephanie Page: Expert Citizen Interview

Farmers Save Energy and Receive Compensation: Government Inst.

The Meatrix: Institutional (Multi-Media)

Buying Organic on a Budget: Business Institutional Blog

Environmental Quality Incentives Program: Government Inst.

Water Pollution by Agriculture: Academic Research

Pesticides and Cancer: Mainstream Journalistic

Obama’s Agenda on Rural America: Institutional

Cows to Kilowatts: Mainstream Journalistic

Source Note: Organic Idiocy: Mainstream Journalistic

Is Organic Worth it ?: Mainstream Journalistic

Organic Farming Reaps Rewards: Mainstream Journalistic

Fixing Agriculture: Mainstream Journalistic

Make Sustainability Mainstream: Mainstream Journalistic

]]> http://goblazers.wordpress.com/2009/03/14/incenitve-argument/feed/ 0 goblazers http://goblazers.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/depression-and-pesticide-exposure/ http://goblazers.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/depression-and-pesticide-exposure/#comments Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:39:21 +0000 goblazers http://goblazers.wordpress.com/?p=326 ]]> Title:

Depression and Pesticide Exposure among Private Pesticides Applicators Enrolled in the Agricultural Health Study (2008.)

Summary: 

In 2008, Environmental Health Perspectives published a study by Cheryl L. Beseler researching the connection between depression and pesticide exposer. 

Topic: Sustainable Agriculture

Category: Academic Research

What is This?  online  and print Academic study published by Environmental Health Perspectives

Publication Information: 

Depression and Pesticide Exposure among Private Pesticides Applicators Enrolled in the Agricultural Health Study (2008.)

Published in 2008 by Environmental Health Perspectives

http://www.ehponline.org/

Author: Cheryl L. Beseler

Location:

http://www.ehponline.org/

Accessed: March 13th 2009 at 3:05am

Support:

Department of Psychology, Colorado State University

Department of Environmental and Occupational Health

Cheryl L. Beseler: Environmental researcher 

Cheryl L. Beseler used her knowledge and expertise with environmental studies along with data from Department of Psychology, Colorado State University and Department of Environmental and Occupational Health to create a comprehensive study of the correlations between depression and pesticide exposure published in Environmental Health Perspectives

Audience and Agenda:

This study was publised by Environmental Health Perspectives, which is peer reviewed non-profit academic journal of environmantal health studies and research. “EHP‘s mission is to serve as a forum for the discussion of the interrelationships between the environment and human health” (EHP).  Environmental Health Perspectives website receives 60.8 K online hits a month. 

Usefulness:

This article was published in the midst of growing demand for organic foods by Americans and speculation towards the negative effects of pesticides on consumers. This study was published to inform the public to how exactly pesticides effect us and our nation’s produce. It makes the claim that exposure to high levels of pesticides may result in depression and other health disorders. This article neglects to mention the economic implications of America’s farming  industry being defamed and discredited by this study. Studies like this increase demand for local organic farmer’s markets like those promoted by seasonalchef.com’s report on a successful Santa Monica farmer’s market shown on their website.

Works Cited: 

wikipedia

seasonalchef.com

Environmental Health Perspectives

google.com

beyondpesticides.com

quantcast.com

Summary:  

Since being founded in 1991, The Maryland based dairy, Organic Horizon has cashed in on the “going organic” trend of American consumers despite controversy over whether they actually comply with organic standards, making them the largest supplier of organic milk in North America. 

Topic: Sustainable Agriculture 

Category: Business Institutional (image)

What is it?  This is a photograph of Horizon Organic Farms 

Publication Information:

Horizon Organic Chocolate Milk (2008)

Posted on Horizon Organic Facts page in 2008

http://www.horizonorganicfacts.com/images/facts-about-horizon-organic.jpg

Author: No author given 

Located: 

http://www.horizonorganicfacts.com/images/facts-about-horizon-organic.jpg

Accessed: March 12th 2009 6:15am

Support:

USDA Organic certification program

Horizon Organic Dairies

Horizon dairy farm Collage Image

HOPE (Horizon Organic Producer Education)

These sources come together to create a comprehensive look into the activity of Horizon Organic Dairy operations.   USDA Organic certification program makes sure that Horizon Dairies are staying in line with the standardized organic practices in order to qualify to use the USDA certified organic logo. The photograph gives the fact sheet and farm  activity descriptions context and visual reference.  

Audience and Agenda:

horizonorganic.com gets 18.2 thousand online a month. Horizon Organic is owned by Dean Foods, one of the worlds largest milk producers in the world. Dean Foods is based out of Dallas Texas, and netted more than $130 million in 2007. Although they sell products around the world, Sam’s Clubs and Wall-Mart are Dean Foods biggest customers. Dean Foods owns more than twenty brands of dairy related companies, which they sell mostly to U.S. and U.K. consumers. 

Usefulness:

This photograph came off horizonorganic.com’s web site, and portrays a quant traditional farm intended to create a positive image of their company and product.  The website and the image were intended to be seen by anyone interested in Horizon Organic and what they stand for. Through the image and the transparency of their fact and census information page, they are making the argument that they are a wholesome, up-standing dairy. The most prominant  information that Horizon has left off their site is the claim by both the Organic Consumers Association and The Cornucopia institute that Horizon Dairies do not comply with the National Organic Program Standards. Hans Lambard’s Bussiness Day article Organic Idiocy reinforces the skepticism that the value added to agriculture products by organic certification is over-rated. 

Works Cited:

quantcast.com

wikipedia

Google

Horizon Organic Dairies

about.com

Farmland.org

USDA.gov

nytimes.com

The Performance and meat quality of Bonsmara steers raised in a feedlot, on conventional pastures or on organic pastures.  (2008.)

Summary: 

In their 2008 edition, The South African Journal of Animal Sciences published a study by J. Esterhuizen, I.B. Groenewald, P.E. Strydom and A. Hugo documenting the effects of raising steers in feedlots under conventional methods verses using organic practices to raise the animals.  

Topic: Sustainable Agriculture

Category: Academic Research

What is it? This is an article out of the South African Journal of Animal Science

Publication Information:

The Performance and meat quality of Bonsmara steers raised in a feedlot, on conventional pastures or on organic pastures.  2008, 38(4)

Published in 2008 by SASAS

  Abstract :    http://www.sabinet.co.za/abstracts/sajas/sajas_v38_n4_a5.htmlAuthors:

J. Esterhuizen, I.B. Groenewald, P.E. Strydom and A. Hugo

Location:

http://www.ajol.info/viewarticle.php?jid=21&id=36244&layout=abstract

Support:

Quality of organic animal products. Livest. Prod. Sci. 80, 33-40.

Kouba, M., 2003. : Scientist 

National Beef Tenderness Survey. J. Anim. Sci. 69, 3274-3283.

Morgan, J.B., Savell, J.W., Hale, D.S., Miller, R.K., Griffin, D.B., Cross, H.R. & Shackelford, S.D., : Agriculture Scientists 

Effects of production system intensity on performance, carcass compositionand meat quality of beef cattle.Livest. Prod. Sci. 56, 203-214

Keane, M.G. & Allen, P., 1998. : Agriculture Scientists 

J. Esterhuizen, I.B. Groenewald, P.E. Strydom and A. Hugo : Bio-Chemists

These sources collaborated to conduct a comprehensive experiment, comparing the effects of different living conditions and feeding routines on Bonsmara steers. Kuaba’s article about organic animal food helped the researchers choose what kind of organic food to feed the steers. Morgan and Keane’s articles about beef tenderness informed the researchers of what the normal meat tenderness levels, pre and and post death, are in healthy and unhealthy animals.  

Audiences and Agenda: 

The South African Journal of Animal Sciences is a scholarly, peer reviewed journal that was founded in 1961. This journal is an association of animal scientists who” practice and report on animal agriculture and sciences.”(sasas) The SASAS puts on work shops and seminars to inform and educate local farmers about animal health and safety. Due to obscurity of this publication, i was unable to find the exact number of readership or hits on their website. 

Usefulness:

This article was created to draw a clearer picture to how exactly organic practices effect livestock value and meat quality. This source was made to be read by farmers and agricultural scientists interested in how to estimate the value of incorporating sustainable and organic practices to their farms and ranches. The researchers make the conclusion that organically raised animals(steers) have no more value than conventionally grown livestock. The organically grown animals were sold for more, not because they were bigger and better tasting, but only because he consumer would only eat organic meat. If the consumer would not have known that the animals were raised organically, they would not have purchased the livestock. The appeal of “organic” was the only thing that added value to the animal. What this article left out was the environmental advantages to raising an animal sustainably. They focused only on the animal and not how the surrounding ecosystem benefitted from the organic practices.  Many of the conclusions made by these researchers fell in direct opposition to stances taken in the agricultural film The Meatrix (2006).

Works Cited: 

Google.com 

SASAS

about.com

wikipedia.org

USDA.gov

farmland.org

Farmland Information Center (FIC) 

Summary:

In Nov. 2008,the Environmental Health Perspectives published an article by George Malone and Paul H. Patterson about managing poultry farm pollution in The Delmarva Peninsula, near Maryland.

Topic: Sustainable Agriculture

Category: Academic research

What is it?

This is an article published in the Nov 2008 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives

Publication Information:

Environmental Health Perspectives • VOLUME 116 | NUMBER 11 | November 2008

Green Screen for Poultry Farms (nov,2008.)

http://www.ehponline.org/

Author:

Penn State poultry scientist Paul H. Patterson

Location:

This article is in the print form of  Environmental Health Perspectives • VOLUME 116 | NUMBER 11 | November 2008

Accessed: March 12th 2009 2pm

Support:

Poultry specialist: George Malone

American Chemical Society

Bill Rohrer : Program administrator for Delaware’s Nutrient
Management Commission

Penn State poultry scientist Paul H. Patterson

These sources all played an equal part under the American Chemical Society(ACS) in researching an effective way to reduce the local poultry industries impact on the local communities and environment ecosystems. The ACS hosted the 2008 of the meeting of the researchers and delegated projects and responsibilities to Patterson, Rohrer and Malone.

Audience and Agenda:

Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) is a non-profit organization that publishes a monthly peer reviewed academic journal that focuses on environmental health issues.

“EHP‘s mission is to serve as a forum for the discussion of the interrelationships between the environment and human health by publishing in a balanced and objective manner the best peer-reviewed research and most current and credible news of the field.” (EHP)

EHP’s Journal has an impact factor of 5.86 and their website receives 4.5 million online hits a month.

Usefulness:

This source and its respective research was done to help the environment and the communities that lived near the poultry farms. It was done in reaction to over whelming pollution levels in the The Delmarva Peninsula. Malone and Rohrer believe that Molane’s vegetative environmental buffer (VEB) can drastically reduce the level of air pollution on the farm and in  surrounding communities.  What they neglect to mention is why they are simply fixing the symptoms and not the cause. I think there are simply too many birds in one place, and no amount of VEB solve it. Until the agricultural planing in the Delmarva Peninsula falls in line with The Seven Dimensions of Sustainable Agriculture (N.Perlas, 1993) the area will always have pollution problems.

Works Cited:

USDA

Wikipedia.org

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Google.com

ebsco

Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP)

dictionary.com

Summary: 

On June 10th 2006, Seasonalchef.com posted a photograph taken by Mark Thompson of an organic farmers market in Santa Monica CA, capturing the rising demand for fresh organic produce. 

Topic: Sustainable Agriculture 

Category:  Alternative Journalistic (Image)

What is it?  This is photograph of a farmers market in Santa Monica CA. 

Publication Information:

You are eating certified organic (2006)

Seasonalchef.com posted this image on June 10th 2006

http://www.seasonalchef.com/061006e.jpg

Author: Mark Thompson

Location:

http://www.seasonalchef.com/061006e.jpg

Accessed: March 12th 2009 2:30am

Support: 

Guaranteed Organic Certification Agency (GOCA) : agricultural certification orginization

Santa Monica, California 

Mark Thompson

This photograph was taken by Mark Thompson ,of Seasonalchef.com,at a farmers market in Santa Monica, California. There are two signs in this image, a “G.O.C.A. CERTIFIED ORGANIC” banner and a street level sign, advertising the organic guarantee of the produce. 

Audience and Agenda:

This image was posted by Seasonalchef.com, which tracks and delivers local produce market reports around the nation. In addition to offering a considerable amount of free content, Seasonalchef.com sells a substancial amount of room to advertisement space for cook books, dinnerware and nursery websites.  Seasonalchef.com also contains pages dedicated to food and agricultural news and commentary. Unfortunatley, I could not find an acurate report to level on of online traffic that Seasonalchef.com receives.  

Usefulness: 

This image increases value and credibility to the organic movement as it captures the recent trend by American consumers to buy local organic produce, and this trend has a considerable effect on how farmers manage their crops. This source was useful to answering my should question because it addresses the attitude of todays agricultural consumer.  This image was posted to promote Santa Monica’s local farmer’s market. Mark Thompson was trying to attract new, as well as existing organic food consumers by posting this image and its respective market report. Mark Thompson  makes the argument that fresh, local, organic produce is available and worth buying. This photograph does not include the prices of the produce, or if the fruits and vegetables were grown by under-paid illegal immigrants. The theme of this image compliments the argument made by  Jerry Gardner, of the Oregon Department of Agriculture,that the market is demanding safe and sustainable agriculture, therefor the farming community does not need incentives to be motivated to go green.  

Works Cited:

Guaranteed Organic Certification Agency (GOCA)

Google.com

Wikipedia.org

quantcast.com

about.com

seasonalchef.com

Summary: 

In 1994, The American Farmland Trust (AFT) and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)  collaborated to create the Farmland Information Center (FIC), which is an online “clearinghouse for information about farmland protection and stewardship”(FIC).

Topic: Sustainable Agriculture 

Category: Non-Profit institutional (Multi-Media) 

What is it? This is an informational website on an array of farmland conservation issues 

Publication Information:

Farmland Information Center (FIC)

This site was created in partnership betweenUSDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and American Farmland Trust. 

http://www.farmlandinfo.org/

Author: No author given

Location: 

http://www.farmlandinfo.org/

Accessed: March 11th 2009 11:52pm

Support:

American Farmland Trust (AFT): Farmland Conservation Orginization 

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 

Agricultural Legislation Navigator

National Resource Inventory: FIC online service 

American Farmland Trust (AFT) and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service  teamed-up to create the Farmland Information Center (FIC). National Resource Inertory and Agricultural Legislation are examples of services and applications available on FIC. FIC references thousands of articles, studies, laws, and stories concerning farming and farmland conservation through  its on site search engines. 

Audience and Agenda:

Farmland Information Center (FIC) is a non-profit organization that was created to serve farmers and the entire  agricultural community. The website has no advertisements besides links to American Farmland Trust’s and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) websites. The website offers aggregators for agriculture related laws, studies, articles and statistics. According to quantcast.com, Farmland Information Center (FIC) receives 3.1 thousand online hits a month. 

Usefulness:

This site was created because of the growing informational and networking demands of American farmers. FIC was formed to serve the interests of the U.S. agriculture industry and all of its farmers, both large and small. FIC considers U.S. farmland to be one of America’s biggest resources, and argues that  farmers should be protected by current legislation and not at the mercy of it. FIC’s mission statement ignores the issue of illegal immigrant farmhands who represent a major demographic of  America’s agricultural industry. FIC also fails to confront the issue of rising organic food prices despite skepticism to whether organic certification actually means “grown without pesticides.”

Works Cited:

Youtube.com

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

Google.com

wikipedia.org

American Farmland Trust (AFT)

quantcast.com

Summary:

In Oct, 2008 Sean Rickard, of Cranfield University ,was interviewed at an pesticide legislation event in Brussels, Belgium hosted by MEP( Member of Europeon Porlament ) Mairead McGuiness who gathered Europe’s top economic and environmental experts to discuss new pesticide legislation. 

Topic: Sustainable Agriculture

Category: Government   (Multi-Media) 

What is it? This is video interview of  Sean Rickard

Publication Information:

New Pesticide Legislation Affecting Food Prices (Oct, 2008.)

Posted to Youtube on Oct, 21 2008

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_dpsF9k9Hs

Author: Sean Rickard and an unnamed interviewer 

Location:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_dpsF9k9Hs

Accessed: March 11th 9:15pm

Support: 

Sean Rickard : Economic Expert and  former Chief Economist with the National Farmers’ Union 

European Commission- Environment 

MEP Mairead McGuiness

MEP Mairead McGuiness hosted this meeting of experts and top researchers to confront Europe’s agricultural problem.   Sean Rickard was interviewed at the event, offering his opinion from the stand point of an agricultural economic expert.European Commission- Environment mediated the event and considering the expert’s opinions for future legislation. 

Audience and Agenda: 

This event was hosted by MEP Mairead McGuiness  and sponsored by The European Parliament which contains 785 elected MEPs.  The European Parliament influence legislation across Europe including environmental laws and regulations. This video was posted on Youtube, which is a video sharing website owned by Google Inc who has a reputation for conducing honest and sustainable business practices and considered to be one the best places to work by Fortune Magazine. Youtube recieves over 80 million online hits a month. 

Usefulness:

This interview was done after a meeting about preposed pesticide legislation between government officials and Europe’s leading environmental and economic experts. This video was created to inform Europe’s general public and develop transparency into how the government handles tough issues and controversial legislation.Sean Rickard  makes the case that the economic and crop output advantages to using pesticides outweigh the environmental risks. He neglects to mention the possibility that pesticides may nullify farmlands for future generations, furthering the world’s food shortage problem. His stance on the use of pesticides offers an effective counter argument to oraganicfood-now’s Feb 2009 blog How Much Poison do You Want to Eat? (Feb, 9th 2009). This source was very helpful to my research because it approached the issue of sustainable agriculture in the shoes of an economists instead of a environmentalist. This difference in vocation and background resulted in a drastically different view point. 

Works Cited:

Google.com

wikipedia.org

oraganicfood-now

European Commission- Environment

European Union 

about.com

Summary:

On July 26th 2008, Blogspot blogger,  perfectpear23 posted a cartoon by ,New Zealand cartoonist, Stan Eales  that poked fun at the raising concern about dangerous pesticides on produce. 

Topic: Sustainable Agriculture 

Category: Citizen Commentator Blog ( Image )

What is it?  This is black and white cartoon posted to a Blogspot blog 

Publication Information:

I think it’s the  pesticides in the Veges! (July, 26th 2008)

Posted July 26th 2008, on “Jennifer’s”  blog: perfectpear23.blogspot.com

http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/sea0172l.jpg

Author: Stan Eales 

Location: 

http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/sea0172l.jpg

Accessed: March 11th 2009, 1:52pm

Summary: 

In July 2008 Youtube posted a video of life-long farmer and  American Farmland Trust’s new president, Jon Scholl speaking about farmland  conservation and his goals to improve U.S. agriculture productivity and profits, while maintaining sustainable practices. 

Topic: Sustainable Agriculture

Category:  Non-profit Institutional (Multi-Media) 

What is it?  This is a video posted on Youtube 

Publication Information: 

American Farmland Trust’s New President Jon Scholl (July 31st, 2008)

Posted July 31st 2008 on Youtube.com

http://www.youtube.com/user/AmericanFarmland

Author: American Farmland Trust

Location:

http://www.youtube.com/user/AmericanFarmland

Accessed: March 11th 2009 4:10am

Support:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

American Farm Land Trust (AFT)

Jon Scholl 

Jon Scholl mentions his employment at the  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) where he  worked on agricultural policy and reforming exiting legislation. He also spoke on his new role as president of American Farm Land Trust (AFT) who created this video in order to further familiarize the public and its members with Jon Scholl. Finally, Jon Scholl  reference his experience of growing up on a farm and knowledge gained from maintaing a career as a farmer for more than 25 years. 

Audeince and Agenda:

This video was posted by Youtube, who is a video sharing website owned by Google inc. Google inc. is an advertising and e-mail providing service that is considered one of the best places to work in the world, with a reputation of integrity and honest business practices. They are a public corporation who brings in revenue from a variety of different industries and services, from social networking to online mapping. Together, Youtube and Google.com receive  over 200  million online hits a month. The video was created by American Farm Land Trust who is a non-profit organization founded by ranchers and farmers, who serves the interests of agricultural producers and the continued conservation of America’s farmland. This video has been seen 752 times on Youtube since being posted in July 2008.American Farmland Trust’s website receives just under 11 thousand hits a month. 

Usefulness: 

This video was created with the intention to familiarize members, unaffiliated farmers, policy makers and the general public with, American Farmland Trust’s new president, Jon Scholl and organizational goals of profitable agriculture and farmland conservation. This source was made to benefit the  agricultural community  and supporting industries. Jon Scholl and the American Farmland Trust make the case that the farming industry can, and needs to be both profitable and environmentally sustainable. However, small-scale farming projects are left off Jon Scholl’s agenda  as he neglects to mention the need for individual, non-commercial farms and inner-city crop producers. He also fails to mention his plans for cleaning up existing farms that are members of American Farmland Trust, but continue to pollute and damage local ecosystems. This source is extremely useful because Jon Scholl represents both a stake holder in the arena of agriculture and a policy maker as he has worked with some of the most influential environmental agencies. The fact that Jon Scholl is an actual farmer makes him a much more credible and dynamic source than if he was only a policy maker. American Farmland Trust’s mission statement, and Obama and the new administration’s agenda on rural America share several objectives which will likely improve the relationship between farmer’s interests and government policy. 

Works Cited:

Quantcast.com

Google.com

wikipedia.org

farmland.org

about.com

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)