Family Farms+Small Business Ups+Downs

[temporal1]

i enjoy reading about how things are going for smaller farms and businesses.
In my lifetime, so many farms and businesses gone; many closed or drastically downsized after 2007. The economy was part of it, increased government regulations were a big part, too -

it sure seemed peculiar to so drastically increase regulations during a hard economy, but, it happened just like that.

MORAN’S ORCHARD, Trilla, IL / 93 years, closing.

“Moran's Orchard closing because of new regulations”
New federal regulations strain resources
https://www.effinghamdailynews.com/news ... b93a5.html

.. The orchard grew apples, strawberries, peaches, pears and plums. During harvest season, it utilized extra help. But during the growing season, her son was in charge of doing all the work.

The recent implementation of the FDA's Food Modernization Act has brought the family to the decision to close the orchard.
According to http://www.producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu, The Food Modernization Act was signed by then-President Barack Obama on Jan. 4, 2011, and became federal law in January 2016. ..

.. "The regulation is to help prevent contamination we see in food," said Laurie George,
University of Illinois Extension Educator, Local Food Systems and Small Farms. "Trying to reduce food contamination before it happens."

Inspections will begin in 2020.

”The people that wrote this have nothing to do with agriculture," Moran said.

Moran said that in the 93 years they have been around, the orchard has never gotten a call that someone has gotten sick from their fruit.
The Morans will be putting in corn and beans on the land formerly used for the orchard and the trees will be pushed out.

Over the years, the number of orchards that have continued to do business has shrunk – mainly because of the physical labor involved and the unsure income. According to Moran, unlike corn and bean farmers who can have their crops insured, those with orchards don't have that benefit.

"There is a program with minimum insurance but you have to have three years proof of production and an outside person has to verify that," she said. If there is a loss, there is also minimal reimbursement.

Interesting “Comments” follow this report.

This is more sad news. It seems so unnecessary! Maybe worse.

[JohnHurt]

Since Trump was elected, our family owned small business has finally turned around. Under Obama, it was barely surviving.

Also, the chicken coops, tents and other items we compete against in the marketplace are all made cheaply and poorly in China. The tariffs against Chinese imports seem to be helping our products made here in the USA.

One of the items we use in manufacturing (zip ties) have gone up recently about 20%. I thought they were made in Taiwan, but they could be coming out of China as well, which would explain the price increase. I had a USA company contact me last year about using USA made zip ties, but they were about 20% higher. I think now I need to contact the USA zip tie company, as that would be the patriotic thing to do.

The tariffs means a LOT more jobs for people right here in the USA.

And the Chinese products are not better, even if they are cheaper.

The companies in China, like FoxConn and others that make the Apple products, they use buildings that have "suicide nets" to catch people who are jumping out of the factory windows and killing themselves at work. It is that bad there.







China uses thousands of people in slave labor camps to make the cheap products we enjoy here in the USA. They also harvest organs like kidneys, hearts, and corneas from the Falun Gong practitioners and sell them to medical tourists.

Messages are smuggled out of China in the merchandise that is sold here in the USA, telling how bad it is in the Chinese workshops. This is socialism, this is the same system being advertised here in America that you can make happen in the voting booth. Be careful who you vote for.

Be very thankful that we live in a Christian country that is not run by Socialists like in China. You would never have a family business under socialism, everything would be owned by the State. And of course, everything would be "free", except you. You would not be "free" at all, just your substandard health care, cheap housing, etc. would be somehow "free".

I support Taiwan, as they have successfully rebelled against the Communist Chinese. But if possible, the USA should never buy anything from China, until their Communist dictatorship is overthrown. The Chinese military and system of government is a threat to the entire world. The Chinese people are wonderful, have a 5,000 year history, and deserve to be free!

If you are a small business owner, or consumer, look at how you can avoid purchasing Chinese products. This one decision can help America small business, and the Chinese people at the same time.