[tananaev]

I recommend checking history of deregulation of agricultural industry in New Zealand. It didn't lose the industry. Actually the opposite happened.

Persistent government subsidies are almost never a good idea long term. I understand that some temporary support might make sense in some cases, but not permanent one. It prevents innovation and optimization. And in the long run it usually makes more damage.

[keithnz]

Having been in the NZ ag tech industry for the last 25+ years, US subsidies and tarrifs drove a lot of innovation in NZ (also Europe) and then US manufacturers in the spaces I've been in have pretty much collapsed when faced with better tech as farmers switched to using our ( or the European) tech.

[bix6]

Curious what sort of tech? Like better tractors and such?

[greycol]

A lot of meat cutting (and packaging) robotics and dairy automation are the flashy ones. Softer tech like crop, orchard management and cultivar creation as well as stock breeding/selection or logistics all of which came a long way. The development of uses for byproducts i.e. chemical refineries to change milk into something like protein or milk powder and use the secondary products from those processes to produce alcohols or fertilizer.

[UltraSane]

Please provide examples

[tw04]

It would appear that to remain competitive they had massive consolidation, and with that an increase in animal density leading to major issues with water pollution.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CraFarms

So I guess yay deregulation, now with more capitalist privatized profits with socialized costs!

[tw04]

Downvoting without engaging in a discussion kind of directly violates both the spirit and rules around here.

I've posted pretty solid evidence that dregulation, did not, in fact improve the agricultural situation for New Zealand. It absolutely made a subset of corporations and mega-farmers extremely rich at the expense of the natural resources the rest of the country shares. Would LOVE to hear the arguments about how that's a good thing for the people of New Zealand or our planet as a whole.

But then again, that would require thoughtful discourse...

[array_key_first]

Just to expand on this idea with more historical context: part of the reason agriculture is regulated like it is in the US is because it used to be much more deregulated. And then speculation and profiteering in agriculture in the 1920s contributed to the great depression and caused the dust bowl. Then, it became a national food security issue. The New Deal is where a lot of the regulation and subsidies originate, but we didn't just do it for kicks. We have, actually, tried the alternative, and it was a disaster.

[mlrtime]

Because it goes against the urban popular group think. "Blue States subsidizing Red States" "NZ did it, so US can to"

Provide any real or partial claims this isn't the whole story and it's difficult to change your mind on something that is fundamental to your beliefs. So downvote and move to the next post that validates your beliefs. Happens to everyone including me.