I’ve been thinking a little bit about the future of Agriculture. I think there are two different paths for two different types of agriculture. Sustainable Agriculture will continue to get more profitable and popular. Industrial agriculture will still be dependent upon outside inputs and free government monopoly money in the form of grants, handouts and “insurance.”
It’s my opinion that industrial agriculture will continue indefinitely until one of two things kill it. The first possible scenario that can kill industrial agriculture is nature. This is already happening and on a broad scale. Will it cause Industrial Ag to perish? I don’t know. It really depends on the second factor. Free money from the government. Monopoly money (or dollars printed out of thin air) give Industrial Agriculture a serious advantage. Of course it’s all a facade. Generally when businesses get free money from the government they have a HUGE advantage over smaller producers within that business, you in this case. However, creativity and honesty can go a long way toward the success of sustainable agriculture.
Here are some general trends that I see happening or are already taking place:
- More expensive food
- Local food will play a role but ultimately many people won’t buy local food, but a lot will
- More expensive input costs (fuel, feed, fertilizer)
- More soil destruction in the name of temporary profits (mono cropping)
- Increased inflation!!! The most dangerous and insidious tax on the American people
- Increased drought (man made)
What does that mean for you? What can you do?
- Build soil
- Hold cash and other hard assets (land, silver, gold, food)
- Avoid debt, but only use smart debt
- Very low inputs
- Have a plan
- Think about the future
- Develop real skills and knowledge (grazing management and other hard skills)
The future can look pretty grim some days and oftentimes I feel down about it. However, we can support each other here at Ag Insights and share our stories to ensure our success in both life and business. While I try to avoid being negative and complaining like many other people do I feel it’s necessary to point out some of our problems and issues so we can plan accordingly.
What trends do you see for agriculture? What are you doing to make a positive difference in your community?
