Following our show yesterday on obesity and the food industry, I heard from a conservative who maintained the government is responsible for "destroying" agriculture in Washington state. What a bunch of baloney. Washington's $7 billion agricultural industry makes us the fourth most productive state in the nation. Tell me again how ag has been destroyed here.
Joe, your citation is one that came out in 2010, and was based on reporting from 2008, which would be from fiscal year 2007. If memory serves it was in 2008 that the epa shut the water pumps from the reservior to the san juaquin valley, and now what was the breadbasket of california is now home of 40% unemployment. The government isn't destroying agriculture, it is leaning heavy on the small farms, consider edaleen dairy where just a few years ago the conglom farmers were able to lobby for a tax on farms like theirs, and it is amazing that they are able to still be open with the huge taxes that have been levied. you are setting up straw men arguments to preen progressive ego's. At best your citation on this issue would give gross numbers, with the new laws, taxation, fees and bans put on farmers, I wonder what the net numbers would be.
your argument, and "proof" that you are correct on the issue fails for 3 reason 1) It was from 2008 data, doesn't transfer to today because of the new regs. 2)Gross numbers do not show profit margin, nor prove the health of the economy. 3)Laws have been enacted since that article was written that limit or eliminate red dye diesel use in the farming industry, the attempted regulation of farm dust, and increased wetland, and waterway restrictions
