Happy Canadian Food Freedom Day

[dalek]

Happy Canadian Food Freedom Day today, and happy US Check-Out Day tomorrow

[cowman]

Food freedom day for who? Not for the working poor or the little single mother! Or how about the senior living on a pension? For these people life is a struggle and food prices are high enough!

[rodbradshaw]

Cowman lighten up, you must still have some sand chaffing some sensitive spots.
This is the day when the average Canadian makes enough money to pay for their years food(before taxes etc).The actual day farmers get paid for their contribution is a month earlier and since most people don't work New Years day, one week of work for a years food is a pretty good deal.Mexicans actually have to work a lot longer as their cost of food compared to income is almost double to that of their neighbours in NA.

[cowman]

Rod: Are low food prices a bad thing? Haven't they really been the method the North American industrial society has gotten ahead? Can you really see this ever changing? If any product becomes too costly the government opens up the border and lets more product in(a good example would be manufacturing beef). Dairy products seem to be the exception.
Now what would happen if Canadians and Americans had to spend 35% on food instead of the 11% or whatever they do now? Would all us farmers be rich? Are they rich in Europe? What would happen to all the industries that rely on that discretionary dollar? Would they be broke? No more holiday trailers, SUV's, winter vacations!
In general the cheap food policy has been very good for everyone in North America(and that does include farmers!).

[rodbradshaw]

Cowman
I agree that the cheap food policy has allowed the Developed World to prosper. It is sad that only one industry has to carry the burden of making the rest of the economy go.

Farm commodity prices could double (not that they need to and make a decent living) and the consumer would only need to pay a few cents more if the rest of the food chain did not need to increase their margins at the same time. I know I am making it sound easy and there are no easy solutions.
I guess I am frustrated that every other industry demands and receives a decent return on investment and Agriculture is expected to do it for nothing. We are going to see continued pressure on the way we do business and if we can not recoop those costs then ultimately those prices will have to rise as only a few producers will survive. Is it better to have individuals managing their own assets or corporate/government doing it?

Rod

[ianben]

The figures are very similar here in UK
Food now 12% of income so guess Brits payed for their food first but still must pay a bit more in tax for subsidies.
Low food prices sure keep the first world first and the third hungry.
Some way to get the third world just a little better off and able to afford more to eat would sure help.
Lower and lower prices do not increase consumption in the first world but mean the third world must export more food to pay dollar depts.
We are in a nasty spiral which needs a complete reversal.
Argentina Afganistan can both these be linked to low commodity prices?