TRNN interviews Timothy A. Wise, Research Director of the Global Development and Environment Institute, Tufts University, and leads its Globalization and Sustainable Development Program.
Since late 2006, crop prices have risen dramatically, reversing a decades-long trend that saw persistent declines in agricultural commodities prices. But are small-to-mid-scale family farmers really benefiting from the boom? No, according to the latest of three studies by Timothy A. Wise, who has looked behind the glowing headlines on the farm sector as a whole to examine how family farmers have fared in this high-price environment.
With a background in international development, Wise specializes in agricultural policy and rural development. He is involved in ongoing research in the areas of: Sustainable Rural Development, Beyond Agricultural Subsidies, Mexico Under NAFTA, WTO and Global Trade. He is the co-author of the book (in English and Spanish), Confronting Globalization: Economic Integration and Popular Resistance in Mexico, and The Promise and the Perils of Agricultural Trade Liberalization: Lessons from Latin America. He is the former executive director of Grassroots International, a Boston-based international aid organization. He holds a Masters in Public Policy from Tufts’ Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning Department.
The policy brief, “Still Waiting for the Farm Boom: Family Farmers Worse Off Despite High Crop Prices,” with an intro here: http://www.ase.tufts.edu/gdae/policy_research/FarmIncome.html
Full study: http://triplecrisis.com/high-food-prices-do-family-farmers-benefit/
Ticks and leeches and spiders and snakes~
An examination of the ‘organic’ betrayal, as embodied by Organic Valley (et al), is warranted. May they (the ‘organic’ merchandizers) all go to straight to HELL when their time on earth is finished. Starting with one George Siemon, ceo of Organic Valley.
Thanks Rady. I appreciate the fact that I can spout off here, occasionally.
You cannot believe the hurt that decent family farmers have had to endure. Well, yes y-o-u (Rady) can. But a lot of people can’t, because well, they’re S-T-U-P-I-D. They believe Organic Valley.
Today is just gorgeous in Minnesota, wish I had my cows back….
nedlud
We still have dairy farmers here, and they have been committing suicide lately. Small farmers, small herds. Also alot of small family farms here too, but they are feeding into the locavore thingy – of course, not all of them are organic. We do have a couple of really excellent biodynamic farms, amongst them the farm that produces Turtle Tree Seeds. But if we could convince the other small farmers to forswear Big Ag and all its BS, then things might get better for small farms.