Contributed Post
If there is one industry that is facing more challenges than most, it’s the world of farming. Truth be told, farming didn’t even used to be classified as an industry. It wasn’t even considered a business. It was more of a pastime that country folk took part in that just happened to be a full-time job. Now, farming is facing serious challenges, and it will be interesting to see how it continues to evolve in the future. If you’re interesting in being a farmer then…we, actually, that brings us to the first hot issue.
No One Wants To Be A Farmer
If you’re following the election in American, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the majority of people are stupid. But as it turns out, they’re not. People realize that farming is a difficult career and they’ve taken note. Most simply aren’t interested in this career path anymore, if they ever were. Over the past few years, the numbers have farmers have continued to dwindle. Workers in the farming industry are in decline to with more focus on automated processing. It’s not a terrible idea because it certainly cuts costs. But does it spell trouble for the future? Last year, the number of people studying farming dropped by fifty percent. Now, you might think, well so what, it’s not like we need farms? Well, there would be a slight problem with food!
Poor Animals, Poor Farmers
Farmers are facing immense pressure from the buying public about the quality of life animals get. For instance, a recent campaign on change.org resulted in a major UK food store refusing to sell caged eggs. It’s understandable that people want animals to have a better quality of life. But battery hens as they are commonly called are a form of intensive farming. Don’t be fooled, there are plenty more still on the market including products from intensively farmed cows. Ever wondered how your milk is produced? Trust me, you don’t want to know. But you do have to understand one thing about farming. It’s a necessary evil because it’s become the only way farmers can make money.
Have you looked at the price that milk, eggs and meat are being sold at in the superstores today? It’s pretty cheap, and it’s but incredible pressure on the finances of farms trying to make a profit. If you want to help the animals, pressure the superstores to raise prices. Yeah, I didn’t so…
9 Billion!
By 2050, there will be nine billion people on the planet which is a slight problem. We’re already over the limit of how many people the world can accommodate, and we haven’t even reached eight billion yet. The good news is that the trouble farmers are facing trying to make a profit might soon be over. The bad news? We’re going to struggle to provide enough food to everyone, even in developed countries. Luckily, different farmers are working on solutions to this issue with salmon farming emerging as one of the front-runners. Farmed fish could provide food for nearly five hundred million people in the future. Salmon fishing is becoming hugely popular though, and salmon farming companies are even working together to improve industry sustainability. If this is something that you would like more information on, then you can check out this site here: globalsalmoninitiative.org/en.
Unseen And Unheard
It’s clear then that unless we start listening to the troubles they are facing, we could also be in dire trouble. It’s not just about making sure they can make ends meet. It’s about keeping an industry going that provides food for a growing population. Unfortunately right now, farmers are a silent minority.
