🚀 go-pugleaf

On Sat, 09 Oct 2010 06:41:28 +1100, DonH wrote:


> (1) How many such farmers exist now, as compared to, say, 50 years ago?
>    (That is, what may have been sustainable then may not be now,

Exactly, farms have amalgamated where the farmer's farm income can 
provide the funds.

frankly, certain areas were always dicey right from the start and first 
ones into the new government set up farms had to learn very fast on the 
job. I would venture a guess that most didn't.

> 
> (2) What practices are used by irrigators?

which "irrigators"

>       E.g. open channel (as compare to pipes),
As far as I know, apart from pumped groundwater/pondages, everything is 
still open channels, except for one area in Victoria

> (3) Are tropical crops, such as rice, still grown in this temperate
> zone?
What a stupid question. Are you totally ignorant or been on planet zaza 
for the last week?

>    (Rice needs lots of water, and tropics can supply this, in open paddy
> fields, where evaporation is high).

That is right, there is more water loss from higher evaporation in the 
tropics.


> (4) Are foodstuffs grown for export?  If so, can this be discontinued,
> with sales solely for home consumption, and farmers still be viable?
How much of the industry do you want to close down?
75% okay?
Can you pick which area of Australia that will get the rainfall that year 
to allow the crop to grow fully?

If you are talking about rice, Australian grown rice is currently only 
10% of the offerings in my local greengrocer.

 
> (5) Should any "righteous indignation" of farmers be directed at
> coal-fired power-station owners, rather than at scientists merely doing
> their job?

It should be directed at the state government for creating the current 
mess and the federal government for grandstanding for years and doing 
bugger all. I guess Kevin everywhere was never here to do anything.


 
> (6) If government is to compensate for loss of water entitlements, and
> maybe loss of jobs, income, etc - then why the gripe?

Have you ever received government compensation?
It is usually a decade later at best and far less than the value back 
then, let along adjusted for inflation since.
> 
> (7) If too little is done to save the river system, then not only may
> rivers cease to exist, but also farmers dependent on them?
Towns as well. The people in the towns. the farms that grow the food that 
feed you. The nation will be reduced to food only from crops that can 
grow on the rainfall that falls on the farm.