Tuesday, 15 April 2008

Food Crisis: Some Suggestions

There has been much hoo-haa recently around the world, especially in poorer countries, over the large rises in food prices recently.

But New Zealand, as a country, stands to gain A LOT. We have excellent farming land, advanced technology, and animals by the truckload. New Zealand could potentially make a huge deal of money out of this.

To ensure New Zealand's eventually triumph in the upcoming years in food production, here are some suggestions:

1) Remove "green" regulations to the production of food. Remove GM hysteria over food production. Invest in new technologies and capital for the most efficient food production in the world. Allow for more intensive farming. Issues such as water pollution caused by animal excrement and chemicals on the farm can be sorted out by privatizing basic bodies of water, such as rivers and sections of lakes. (This has worked very well in Scotland.)

2) Deregulate the market on a world scale. New Zealand has done very well by promoting its food products around the world, facilitated by free trade. This doesn't concern NZ, at least as much as the EU, which prevents the crucial development of African farmers from getting them to produce their food in the long term, independently. The same applies to the United States (and Canada?).

3) Slash other regulations to production. Slash limits on how much food can be produced at what price, what amount, etc. Important issues such as quality can be sorted out primarily by the market and organizations such as consumer watchdogs, with government interference only after an act of force or fraud has been committed.

There you go, some suggestions for the upcoming food crisis. Let's see whether basic principles of market economics are followed, and if not, how well the situation turns out otherwise.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Callum

When I was young, stupid & making a nuisance of myself my grandfather would bellow at me, “Children should be seen and not heard, and preferably not seen, you stupid boy!”

After reading your childish and immature blog I can understand why. Hopefully one day you will grow up and become useful, however I doubt it. You will probably go to university, get an economics degree and end up working for the Ministry of Economic Development, and continue with the buggering of this country.

Anonymous said...

David,

When you were a child at least you had an excuse, now that you're an "adult" you've just proved you are a wit - a fuckwit.

Try following your Grandfather's advice more often - you obviously didn't inherit his intelligence.

Callum said...

So, making childish insults and not backing them up -very mature. I'm sure you've changed much since your childhood.

Christ, at least if I make insults, I say why. I don't make them and run.

Callum said...

Also, may I see YOUR blog?

And by any chance, do YOU work at the Ministry of Economic Development?

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Anonymous said...

Oh just ignore this 'David' idiot, whomever he may be.

You weblog is splendid! ..always enjoyable to read so keep up the good work!

(btw ...when you are older I hope you do not go to University and instead are self employed and make yourself a quid, leaving the dullards and socialists to waste their lives doing pointless Civil Service type work)

Callum said...

Thanks, Elijah -yes, I'm pretty sure this David is probably some guy who had a bad day at the office.

However, I probably will be attending Canterbury University. The reason why is that I got contacted by a professor of economics from that university, asking me if I would like to study down there. (And don't worry, he says that there are probably more libertarian/Objectivist minded people there than at any other university in NZ).

Also, me and mum are thinking of doing some day trading on the stock market to make some money, and perhaps make that into my future profession (my parents really wants me to be an entrepreneur of the sort!)

Maybe I could learn a few things off you. Are you attending the Libz conference in Auckland next month?

Anonymous said...

Yes, I shall be at the conference... my Libz newsletter arrived in the post yesterday and I filled out my Conference registration.

Day Trading is a great deal of fun and quite lucrative...my advice is to get stuck in!

In terms of making a great deal of 'capital' fairly easily (in the sense of no great physical exertion required) there is no other way to do it.

Once making a Capital sum you can then use it to invest in a business activity of your choice..(which may well be continuing with Day Trading)..and yes, you probably could learn a great deal from me.

I am always happy to offer helpful suggestions on what to do, and pitfalls to avoid.

Anonymous said...

Hi Euan .. you beat me to it.

David, I suspect in a past age your grandfather had better manners. Certainly hope so. To direct those remarks to a minor as you did, displays a marked lack of civility.

Secondly, you've certainly missed Callum's point re your last comment. Why the hell would a proponent of the free market and deregulation want to work within the chains of a govt dept? The two schools of thought are mutually exclusive.

Keep blogging, Callum. I agree with EL. You're doing fine work. Keep beating the bastards back!

:)

Callum said...

Sus, I suspect David won't be coming back. If anything, he's just out to make an ass of himself.

Also, I'm no longer a minor ;-)

Anonymous said...

Not a minor? ..oh right..I thought you were only 14 or thereabouts, but, well, splendid!

Sue is quite correct, why would anyone with half a brain want to work in the Public Service!?!? ...just bizarre

Callum said...

Elijah!

I'm a "young adult" now!!

I think "minor" is a bit mean now, don't you think?

Anonymous said...

Ahhhh...right, yes, I see what you mean now.

Anonymous said...

"Also, I'm no longer a minor ;-)"

Maaaate! Apologies. Like Elijah, I was thinking you were still 14 or 15. My mistake.

Welcome to the majors! :)

Callum said...

Well, I am, but as I said before that's really classified as "young adult". "Minor" seems a bit too general.