> Doug Henwood wrote:
> > The Nation - September 11, 2006
> >
> > Mean or Green?
> > by LIZA FEATHERSTONE
>
> This is an excellent article by Liza. She touches all the bases here on
> this issue.
>
> The entry of Wal-mart into the organics arena will be an unmitigated
> disaster for small farmers, the food supply, consumers, and the entire
> ecosystem. When we have fewer corporations controlling the food supply,
> we inch closer to a disastrous Soviet-style, top down agricultural and
> food distribution system. All we need is for a few middle managers at
> Wal-mart's Arkansas HQ to make a few bad decisions and the disaster that
> results would be very interesting.
>
> One only needs to look at Wal-mart's past practices with its suppliers
> to see how it will treat farmers. Farmers are underpaid as it is for
> their crops and Wal-mart's low prices fascism will force more farmers
> out of business.
>
> What we need is a movement that burns all of these fucking stores to the
> ground.
>
> Chuck
> Out here in Wal-Mart land
The good days for organic farmers has already died and been buried. Consolidation has been rampant. While you weren't watching Rainbow was bought out by Cornucopia, United Natural Foods is on shaky ground even though they bought Counucopia and own Alberts Organic, Millbrook is as big as ever, and Tree of Life is standing on the top of the distribution pile dictating terms to all organic farms west of the Mississippi as well as Florida and most of Mexico and Central America. ADM has also jumped in with both feet and is poised to take over ToL if the rumours are to be believed since ToL is the worlds largest organics distributor and that is apparently something ADM hasn't made many inroads into. What more could Wal-Mart do?
John Thornton