Seeds of a Better Business

摘要

Farmers don't have a reputation for skewing to the political left, but just get them talking about seeds. At an expo center on the outskirts of Memphis one gray February day, several dozen of them make for a receptive audience as Charles Baron expounds over plates of scrambled eggs and home fries on the inequities of Big Ag. "On either side of your family business are these massive oligopolies," the 35-year-old says, gesturing toward a PowerPoint slide bearing the logos of agrichemical companies and commodities traders. "You, as growers, should have the power in the industry. There's no reason you should have the lowest incomes whenyou do all the work and take all the risk." Around the room, baseball caps wag in agreement.