Three Principles for Emergency Food Supply and Production

Robert ‘Bob’ Baker

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Mr. Baker, based in the United States, is with the Schiller Institute Agriculture Commission.

Greetings to everyone.

Last month I was able to convey in person, support from U.S. farmers and ranchers to the mass protest rally at The Hague, by the Dutch farmers, fishermen, and many other people. The Dutch government has ordered their activity to be cut way back, lying that nitrogen emissions from food production are ruining the Earth.

Then in March, I was able to meet in person in Germany with farm leaders, during the week of their national protests. They had bonfires, tractorcades, rallies, and boat actions. The government has ordered them to use less chemicals. They’ve ordered the fishermen to use different nets. They’ve ordered less farmland use, fewer meat animals, and so on, claiming food production is harmful.

It’s the same story in many other places—-from the tractors that were on the streets of Paris this Winter, to the cattlemen on their horses in Madrid.

In the Americas, food trade is crazy. Mexico—the home of corn—is told you must get corn from the United States. U.S. cattlemen are told beef must be imported from Africa and South America. U.S. cattlemen are fighting for even the right to have truthful U.S. packaging labels on meat imports, that give the country of origin. They are fighting government ear tags on each of their animals, that will start controlling and shutting them down.

Meantime, millions are starving. Whole nations have been denied the ability to even develop agriculture productivity at all.

Across the whole picture, three points stand out for what we must do to end this situation:

First, there must be no cuts in food production capacity. Not anywhere. This is needed while arrangements are made for a new, production-serving credit system to be put in place. A financial and logistics breakdown has started, like we’ve never seen. We must make this an opportunity to put in place a new system, like we’ve never seen. The right one.

Secondly, there must be a stop to playing off one nation against any other on food production and supply. All nations have the right to self-determination of their own national interest in food production and trade.

Thirdly, there must be the maximum access to scientific food production, as fast as possible, everywhere. This means infrastructure, inputs, storage, transportation, research and development, and much more for every nation in the world.

I call on farmers, ranchers, fishermen, scientists and all to join together. We have activated an Agriculture Commission in the Schiller Institute for collaboration of farm leaders all across the globe. Food producers have the moral authority and responsibility to take the lead in this crisis. There is no more common interest in all humanity than our daily food.

Please contact me (bb888k@gmail.com). I want to work with you. Thank you very much.