Agriculture :)
​
I support farmers and farming in America but think the system(s) can be improved a lot. For the benefit to human health and therefore also our healthcare costs as a country and to benefit the environment and leave future generations with a better future.
​
It is hard to encompass all my knowledge and convey it all, I'm not the most knowledgeable on this topic (we all only have so much time). I know it is a complex topic and change can't just happen all of a sudden. People are working on it and a myriad of environmental issues. We are getting there. We need real democracy and real thinkers in Washington though who care about the common person, considering effects of legislation carefully, not just the environment, not just for economics or corporations. Balance is key.
​
I believe farmers have it much too hard and don't make enough money. Small farms are dying and farming is becoming corporate big business. I believe farmers should be making enough money to employ more help (employees) to be able to conduct more sustainable farming operations in an ideal world. Our food is made very cheaply oftentimes and our Food and Drug Administration is too lax - setting standards for health too low. It's also the main reason why I don't believe in Federal universal health care until we clean up these systems better including the government itself; But, I also believe a lot of our systems have the complexity and system-level design and autonomy to implement and go about implementing change - our cornerstone environmental laws that came about during mostly the early 1900s, the FDR regime and also during the late 60's early 70's. It does get complex quickly - which is a problem - of relations of power between states and Federal Government and regulations/rules. Environmental law I was told is one of the messiest and complex subjects in the practice (of law). because of land/property rights, Water Rights (East vs. West), State law(s) and implementation.
​
Topsoil is a national resource (along with groundwater) that's being depleted very quickly for example. The fossil-fuel-based economy we've long had is not the way of the future. America is long past due for a change but this is only one part of the system that needs to be addressed (and quickly).
​
Corporations and politicians who are supported by huge corporations will seemingly say and do anything they are told. We can't fall for their lies, and their voting records in Congress should not go unnoticed. "A machine shouldn't speak for men". Many would say mass implementation of permaculture principles and these kinds of things are pipedreams and how do we do this kind of stuff on a mass scale? Legitimate concerns. We have to start somewhere though and start working on these issues very diligently. We cannot ignore the natural world that sustains us and brought us into this world in which we are evolved to live in. Powerful people will always want to stay in power and affluence and resist real change.
​
Subsidizing farmers for ethanol production (genetically modified corn) to such an extent as we do for instance is very harmful to the environment and the atmosphere. It actually is a questionable endeavor just looking strictly at the physics of it - that is the "EROI" - energy invested vs energy returned.
I believe the government needs to be better at knowing and keeping up with the latest science and helping farmers transition to more sustainable practices like and in with permaculture practices (closing all loops on waste). I also believe we should set higher water quality standards at the federal level and lengthening riparian buffers around streams and waterways. It's the easiest and most effective filter (nature doing her thing) and combats climate change and species extinction (more good habitat and shelter).
​