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Farms are the basis of society. They provide humanity with its sustenance, the one thing civilization can't do without. If ever there is a nuclear holocaust and men is returned to hunting and gathering the first step to a new civilization will be the reinvention of farming. Reading, writing, maths, electronics, computers, nuclear fission all of these accomplishment are possible only because we have our food supply sorted out.

Farming has long been thought of as a drain on society gobbling up subsidies just to prop up an industry that chronically overproduces. But now that overproduction has stopped and shortages are the norm our view has changed and we once again realize how important farming is.

But are modern farms ready for the future? The recent reports that it costs more energy to produce ethanol than can be derived from it is worrying. How can farmers address these issues and what should farming in the future look like.

In my opinion farms should go back to what they were: Totally self-sufficient. In the past farmers would only buy tools, all other needs they were able to meet themselves. They would chop wood for heat and energy, plant crops and breed livestock for food, make cheese and spin wool and recycle. This kind of self-sufficiency is rarely found in modern farms.

Energy independence is where things should start. Farmers by their very nature are landowners. They have an abundance of space for installing windmills and solar panels and so should be able to supply their own energy. A further step would be to use that energy to power farm equipment by making them plug-ins.

The government needs to give incentives to farms to become energy independent. Once they are, nobody can complain about the ethanol produced. After all, the energy used to produce the ethanol would come from clean, renewable endless sources.

There are many other ways in which the farm industry can improve. I would like to see more emphasis on smart business models rather than the industries reliance on beneficial farm bills which seem designed only to put money in farmers pockets without improving basic quality and productivity and sometimes blatantly undermining them.

Like I said farmers provide a basic service. Farmers need to be aware of the social responsibility that entails. For years consumers have paid for their groceries not only at the cash-register, but also through taxes allowing farmers to continue their trade without undue economic pressure. Now that the tables are turned farmers need to step-up. They have to understand that the present state of the economy means that they are under increased scrutiny. Only the most ethical of business practices will do.

Learn more about this author, Joost Steffensen.
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