The Produce Box

Did you see the piece in the  New York Times   recently that warned: “Don’t let your children grow up to be farmers”?   Bren Smith’s headline in the op-ed  is a warning about what is happening in U.S. agriculture.  Taken from real life farming experience, the article explains why we might not want to encourage our children to become farmers... Most farms operate at a loss, even in their best years. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the median income for farmers was  negative  $1,453. This year is looking even worse. The department estimates that in 2014, median farm income will drop to negative $2,534. Smith wrote that the recent increase in farmers markets has only pushed growers to cut back prices to stay competitive. The solution, he said, is for farmers to become part of the food movement—which has been missing their voice.   ~ Bren Smith, The New York Times, Aug 9, 2014 Hearing the farmers voice. ...