Re: Fwd: Essays on Idaho, pgs 46 to 49

[Ken Medlin <dev-plan@moscow.com>]

On the forecasts concerning Treasure Valley and the entire Boise area in 
the next century, a relevant observation was made in the DN letters 
column Nov. 23,by the President of the Family Farm Organization: Erosion 
of the family owned farm, with its respect for nature and environment, 
stands in stark contrast to the steady domination of agriculture by 
corporate controls bent primarily on profits and on becoming "supermarket 
to the world"! What future for small communities lies in such a policy? 
I've asked leading academics on both the Moscow and Pullman campuses, why 
isn't there more interest in research and programs related to the small 
farm and organic agriculture. Their foreboding answer: "It's rather 
simple, there's no money in it."  Where does such value-less thinking 
lead us, anyway? Corporate farming means more genetic engineering, more 
chemicals, more fuel (who supplies it?), more trucks, more erosion -- and 
less of the other constituents of sustainable living ecosystems all 
around us. I grew up near the California Valleys (San Joaquin 
andSacramento) when families ruled the farms. Since then, the developers 
and bankers and corporations took over, and look at the mess they created 
there! What will be their future? Is that our model, too?  What do our 
present politicians say about that? It's up to us, folks, to bring 
realignment of our value systems, if we really care. No one else will.  
Do we care? How much?  Ken M.

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William K. Medlin
Dev-plan associates
930 Kenneth Street
Moscow ID 83843
208/892-0148
dev-plan@moscow.com