The USDA defines such targeted groups as "women, African-Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Hispanics, Asians, and Pacific Islanders." In other words, anybody other than a White Male qualifies. In fact, as we've seen in recent controversies over water and grazing rights, and USDA raids on Amish farms, white male agriculturalists are subject to imprisonment or being shot down in cold blood for the slightest infractions of USDA policies.
Some Americans have wondered why the Agribusiness Cartels, and Wall Street in general, is so overwhelmingly supportive of political correctness and the Rainbow agenda. This is an example of why. It's a simple matter to appoint a politically-acceptable token minority as CEO, run things behind the scenes, and cash in on government handouts and favors. The Smart Boys know that the suckers who believe in fair play are the ones who get left out in the cold.
It is also unsurprising that Marijuana has become the fastest-growing cash crop in the United States---in many US States the leading cash crop---an estimated $40 billion a year industry. Compare that to corn ($24 billion), soybeans ($18 billion), wheat ($8 billion), rice ($1.7 billion), tobacco ($1.5 billion), sugar ($1 billion) and we see clearly where American agricultural priorities are.
The United States was once mostly self-sufficient in food production, but today is relying increasingly on imported agricultural products, the costs of which are driving record numbers of Americans onto public assistance. Aside from governmental interference and lack of an agricultural policy, the US is handicapped by Agribusiness interests, increasing water pollution, droughts and flooding which are officially ignored, and collapsing infrastructure.
In contrast to this, Russia has been experiencing record harvests, and recently signed a export deal with China to construct the largest commodities export facilities in the world. The project, which will be built on the Russian-Chinese border for $1.1 billion (roughly the cost of a Stealth bomber) will cut transport costs significantly between the two countries.
Russia's agricultural expansion came about after the fall of the USSR. Corporate/ Collective farms were broken up and given to families, something like the US once did with Homestead Acts. China has been experimenting with the Russian model and is seeing good results as well.
Countries which aren't governed by drug addicts and financial freebooters understand that an agricultural infrastructure is the most vital component of national existence. In Europe, for example, where agricultural space is at a premium, commercial greenhouses are applying science effectively to cut down on the expense of imports. The European governments also protect such family farms as still exist.
Israel has shown an impressive agricultural revolution as well. A desert country surrounded by hostile powers, Israel was a pioneer in desalination technology---reclaiming sea water for agricultural purposes. The result is that Israeli dependence on imported foodstuffs has dropped dramatically, and even made Israel one of the leader exporter of sea salt. Unlike the US, Israel produces 95% of its own food requirements.
Trendlines Agtech-Mofet, an Israeli agricultural research firm, advertises that Israel has become the world leader in agricultural innovation and technology exports. The company holds annual expositions, attracting experts from around the globe. Trendlines CEO Nitza Kardish noted recently that "the world population is rising and natural resources are becoming scarce, conventional agriculture will not provide for the estimated 9 billion people expected in the next decades. Israel has the know-how and high-tech to improve living conditions."
Israel's success in its dairy industry---which was believed impossible given Israeli's climate---was so remarkable that they are now exporting their technology. On a per capita basis, Israeli dairies outperform American ones by over 10%. In 2015, Afamilk, a company specializing in advanced dairy technologies, contracted with China to construct the $500 million Tian-Ning Dairy Complex.
And is also noteworthy that these new technologies are designed to minimize environmental impacts. Russia recently banned GMOs; Israeli technology is universally premised on working with, not against nature. Under some aggressive initiatives by Xi Jinping, China is resolving much its environmental problems.
When we examine most of the civilized world, we observe that most foreign agribusiness is providing high-quality, low-cost foods to its populations while record numbers of Americans are suffering chronic obesity and diabetes, as well as double-digit percentages on food-welfare programs. The cost of foods in America is very high. But most Americans are in seeming denial that these problems even exist. Neither presidential candidate is addressing any of the problems facing our agricultural infrastructure except to propose restrictions on agricultural imports with no corresponding incentives for domestic production.
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