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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>There is an abundance of technical
agricultural knowledge and practical agricultural know-how necessary to
practice sustainable agriculture. The obstacle to sustainable farming is not
necessarily the farmers. One huge obstacle is our processing and distribution
system. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Here is an example: there is
not one independent state or federally inspected poultry processing facility in
</span></font><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'>Oklahoma</span></font><font size=2
face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>. In
other words, it is impossible to buy a chicken grown by an independent farmer in
</span></font><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'>Oklahoma</span></font><font size=2
face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>
unless the chicken is processed on the farm, without state or federal
inspection, by the farmer who raised it, and you buy it directly from the
farmer. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>In my opinion, anyone who wants
sustainable ag. can make progress by focusing on overcoming the processing,
distribution, and marketing obstacles. Real farmers know how to farm sustainably,
but financially it doesn't work because they haven’t overcome these
obstacles. Non-farmers could have a tremendous impact on agriculture and
rural areas if they were to participate in overcoming these obstacles. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Harlan</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> </span></font></p>
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12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
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