Wednesday, September 05, 2007

USA Farmers Offshore

Really really interesting article in today's NY Times about US Farmers who are now 'offshoring'.

Fed up with 'the flighty winds of change' regarding their seasonal laborers 'legal status' depending on whether its an election year or not.

Farmers are starting to realise how easy it is to move their operations (or a part of) a few hundred miles south into Mexico where there is a very willing and able workforce to implement their plans.

I'm wondering when the USA government is going to realise that this is a 'major' change in how the nation is fed. If your farming community is no longer even tied to your land then offshoring is a really big issue.

The US government is going to be in a position in the very near future where they are competing for the brightest and most efficient 'mind capital' that is stored in these farmers minds to try and 'win them' back to the USA with grants and tax breaks and subsidies.

Like I've said in more than a few blog posts, governments globally now need to understand that you are in a competition with every other country globally to try and attract the brightest and smartest 'intellectual capital' to their shores.

Yes quality of life etc comes into consideration but there are other factors that are more 'malleable' and can be influenced by the government directly.

Either way I think that the USA government is going to pay the piper for their electioneering rhetoric about immigration this year when everyone already knows that the USA cant survive without cheap labor.

And as for politicians complaining about Chinese toy recalls.....lets discuss the amount of recalls causing actual loss of life in the American auto industry....didn't hear you guys grandstanding then did we.

Anyway hope you enjoy the article.


Cheers,
Dean
P.S. Offshoring farming.....I remember doing a presentation on offshoring in 2002 and it was certainly in my 'not possible to offshore list' - wow how times change.

1 comment:

  1. Hey Dean- I spotted your blog a few days ago. This is ssignatz from Global combat- Funny, the world gets smaller and smaller all the time...
    Your spot on as far as the US government goes, and the US population for that matter. We are dreadfully short sighted, but I would state that more than an American condition, it's a human nature problem. China, India etc. are emerging titans precisely because they have so far to go to catch up. They are us a surprisingly few generations ago.We are amazingly comfortable here- and addicted to the status quo. There are plenty of individuals who realize the need to attract human capital from around the world but the overwhelming majority of folks merely look at anyone from somewhere else as a threat to what they already have in place now. They don't recognize that if we don't start "recruiting" that talent, its going elsewhere, and then they really WILL lose what they have now. (You know, I actually had someone ask me "They speak mostly English in Australia, right?" He didn't know, God help him. But, I live in the Southern US- and willful ignorance is a badge of honor around here.)
    I look globally- and see that Ireland finally realized who they are and what they have to offer, and look what the hell happened. (I knew I should have bought that thatched roof cottage in the countryside 16 years ago when I was there...)
    We allow our politicians to flap during an election year, then never hold them accountable. We allow them to play on fears, Hell, we encourage it.
    The greatest hope I have is that we as Americans do what we always do- Respond once it gets REALLY bad...We tend to wait around hoping it doesnt hit us, then respond well when it does. I would hope we would learn from being hit so much, but that is pushing my luck. The other good news is that the current moron in the White House IS leaving soon. But so much damage has been done. We Americans are such sheep sometimes. So easy to manipulate through our fears- It reminds of the guy who wins a jackpot- then is too afraid to leave his house because something bad might happen to him and damn it, he's rich now, its just got good, but he cant enjoy it...

    I may be rambling a bit- Sorry. BTW- I own a regional chain of coffee shops here in the Southeast. Rather low tech I'm afraid, but it pays the bills. vive l'service economy...

    ssignatz- a.k.a.Steve

    ReplyDelete