Politics, politics, politics (so long and thanks for all the fish)

[johnaliola]

Another youtube channel to watch is px farms. Gives a broad insight into the challenges and solutions in running a farm/an agri business.

It’s a bloody complex set up. Part transport, part storage and grain treatment plant, and then farming contracting. He also does some fact gathering trips- been to Brazil this year and you can see that Clarksons thing is a hobby.

It seems likely his business will grow as family farmers give up the ghost as a succession of poor harvests make their businesses unviable as contract out the cultivations and harvests etc etc to firms like px.

He often has to take out financial instruments to flatten his exposure risk to rising costs. Honestly, the whole thing is a nightmare and you can’t help but admire him for his dedication to the industry and his community of staff/connected businesses.

 

[Rorschach]

Many actual farmers have said that Clarksons programme has done more for farming in the UK and to shine a light on the issues than any Farmers association has managed in years.

I really enjoy it and I think he’s been very open about how yes, he’s a millionaire and can afford his farm failing but it does highlight how ‘normal’ farmers struggle to make ends meet and the reasons why.

That is unsurprising. As much as he hams it up and exaggerates the situation for TV in his arrogant knobhead way, there is usually an underlying issue and a real backstory behind it. I don't like the guy at all, but the show is good and highlights, in a way only he could pull off, the growing difficulties facing farmers. It is also shining a spotlight on the adverse effects a warming planet has on current farming practices. Farming will need to adapt, just like everything else.

 

[Gutter Boy]

Perhaps we should nationalise farms? Take away the precarity and afford better strategic use of land (with conservation and rewilding integrated alongside food production). Also end the weird anachronism of inheriting a job from your dad, rather than because you are actually qualified or capable of doing it

 

[Jurgen the German]

Never did like Clarkson. No problem with people who have strong opinions, but he’s provocative for the sake of being provocative. Also used to find the timing of his outlandish statements eerily coincidental with whenever he had a new book or a series of Top Gear coming out.

 

[Glenda's Legs]

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This is or should be hugely concerning (not sure how this tweet will show but if there’s two linked, it’s the bottom one).
I still believe they will combust and won’t get anywhere near government. But you never know….
The donation thing is important but it might just detract from what else they are planning.

 

[thfcsteff]

Food security is another huge national security problem.

Absolutely massive.

 

[MartyFunkhouser]

Food security is another huge national security problem.

We have both said it for year.........you opened my eyes to it

 

[thfcsteff]

We have both said it for year.........you opened my eyes to it

Folks I work with have a charity which works with food insecurity issues.

I know that's a different topic to this in specifics, but it is part of the overall 'food security system'...the levels of food insecurity in the US are growing at an alarming rate.

https://www.feedingamerica.org/about-us/press-room/Map-the-Meal-Gap-2026

 

[MartyFunkhouser]

Folks I work with have a charity which works with food insecurity issues.

I know that's a different topic to this in specifics, but it is part of the overall 'food security system'...the levels of food insecurity in the US are growing at an alarming rate.

https://www.feedingamerica.org/about-us/press-room/Map-the-Meal-Gap-2026

I will read this over the weekend mate

Since the time I was in Saskatoon and at a lecture on it, its fascinated me. I never thought it would come so soon to what they said, but the vertical cropping they touted will come IMO

 

[Rorschach]

We have both said it for year.........you opened my eyes to it

Very glad to hear that.

The super El Nino (Godzilla they are calling it ) will affect the weather so dramatically this year and next, who knows how agriculture will fare. If we luck out well, good - I don't mind looking like a drama queen. I hope I do. If not, then well, it doesn't bear thinking about.

 

[Rorschach]

I will read this over the weekend mate

Since the time I was in Saskatoon and at a lecture on it, its fascinated me. I never thought it would come so soon to what they said, but the vertical cropping they touted will come IMO

Vertical farming has actually come and gone. It turns out to be a very inefficient way of doing things and so has withered on the vine, so to speak.

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

Vertical farming has actually come and gone. It turns out to be a very inefficient way of doing things and so has withered on the vine, so to speak.

Sometimes tech has its first iteration issues....just needs a rethink.

Off the top of my head..

AI will be one.
The value of water will be another.
Necessity might be another.
Location flexibility
Pair it up with solar fields

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

Very glad to hear that.

The super El Nino (Godzilla they are calling it ) will affect the weather so dramatically this year and next, who knows how agriculture will fare. If we luck out well, good - I don't mind looking like a drama queen. I hope I do. If not, then well, it doesn't bear thinking about.

Three hurricanes in the Pacific as we speak...not even shifting much, churning away for days

 

[Rorschach]

Sometimes tech has its first iteration issues....just needs a rethink.

Off the top of my head..

AI will be one.
The value of water will be another.
Necessity might be another.
Location flexibility
Pair it up with solar fields

Well, I'm not an expert but the guys in Drawdown are, and they think it is a dead end. The multitude of failed startups in this space already accentuates that point. The maths of it show what you put in far outweighs what you get out. Growing in a box has too high an outlay and too high running costs to make sense for the limited amount of crop that it is suitable for. Also, the argument of powering it with solar really is an argument for just growing with the sun when you think about it. Anyway, it might have a future, but it looks unlikely.
It looks cool though and has a future in weed I would guess. Maybe Elon might try it on Mars.

Water will be more valuable than oil at some point.

 

[Rorschach]

Some light reading material...

Deploy Vertical Farms

Because vertical farms are so energy and material intensive, and food transportation emissions are a small fraction of the overall carbon footprint of food, vertical farms do not reduce emissions overall. We conclude that vertical farms are “Not Recommended” as an effective climate solution.

drawdown.org

 

[Rorschach]

Sometimes tech has its first iteration issues....just needs a rethink.

Off the top of my head..

AI will be one.
The value of water will be another.
Necessity might be another.
Location flexibility
Pair it up with solar fields

I think most of this is already a thing that can be achieved using just polytunnels, which are orders of magnitude cheaper.

I was reading an article about a gigantic cucumber farm in Holland under glass that is almost self-sufficient in terms of water and energy. Water is harvested and stored in massive tanks filled from the roof of the polytunnels . Solar and batteries control the conditions in the tunnels (mostly). The future is already here.

Anyway my mission is to try to bring the future to this island. Gotta learn my trade first.