Journal #6: Zimdahl Ch. 5, Paarlberg Ch.12, Norwood Ch.7
1
Zimdahl Chapter 5
The dilemma of agriculture and modern technology has been one of the greatest paradox.
Agriculture technology provided solutions to human starvation and economic problems. The
debate of modern agriculture practices continues because of those who are anti-technology bias. I
agree with Degregori that technology is the solution of the host of problems. Our entire food
production system is vertically integrated. The cultural icon of independent family farms
struggling to support itself has perish away. The farm subsidy that was created to help struggling
farmers now majority of it goes to large commercial farms. So small farmers are neglected and
slowly disappearing. Innovative technologies took the intensive labor about from farmers, so
farming didn’t seem to be necessary. I think that the usage of technology shouldn’t be a big deal
because without it farming labor would be very intense and it’s not as efficient.
