Just a sign of the times. Some recent changes. My "take" on the situation.
DelMonte Foods just notified 600 workers in our next-door town of Mendota, IL, (pop. 7900) of the local plan closing. In this case, a combination of indirect result of tariffs causing 1. the loss of small farms to larger centralized operations and 2. the effect of the efficiency of million dollar farm equipment... and 3. a consolidation of smaller processing plants.
The local Mall, which serviced towns in a 25 mile radius, has gone from 102 stores to less than 30. (No Anchor stores) An untold number of jobs lost, and of course the loss of taxes to our city. All of this loss compounded by the loss of small farms and the farm worker jobs.
The trickle down effect is a long process... beginning with the loss of higher paying jobs, but initially, the people do not move, and the children continue to go to local public schools, at an average (U.S.) cost of more than $10,000 yr. per student.
All of the above will now be exacerbated by the continued effect of tariffs on soybeans. (An added problem, the shift of soybean planted fields to corn, that will cause an eventual loss of value, as there is no major replacement market.)
The full effect of these changes will likely take place next year, and local governments will strain to maintain services we take for granted today.
....................................................................................................
Another secondary effect of tariffs will be the losses in the U.S. Fishing Industry, particularly lobstering. The current loss exceeds 80% of last years crop, as Canada takes over the supply of lobsters to China. I am a little bit close to this, with old time friends from Maine who are still in the business, and a nephew who lives and works in lobstering on Canada's Prince Edward Island. Almost all of the U.S. losses on the lobster business has or is going to Canada.
....................................................................................................
A world in constant change... not just farming, but Technology, which most here are more familiar. My own son works as the manager of the Technology Department of a Consumer Preference Analysis business in a small town outside of Chicago. With the advance of technology, his department had gone from nine employees to four, and the business itself has a questionable future, as the companies it services may take on the specialty internally.
EDIT This morning's paper.... A local power plant will close too, with the loss of another 80 jobs...(Consolidation or three smaller plants into one larger more distant operation.)
.....................................................................................................
While we will all adapt to the changes, my initial worry for the future is about the eventual problems in Public Education, and the loss of many town services as tax revenues dry up.
.....................................................................................................
A "top of the head" unofficial look... subject to your own facts and interpretation. I hope I'm wrong.
DelMonte Foods just notified 600 workers in our next-door town of Mendota, IL, (pop. 7900) of the local plan closing. In this case, a combination of indirect result of tariffs causing 1. the loss of small farms to larger centralized operations and 2. the effect of the efficiency of million dollar farm equipment... and 3. a consolidation of smaller processing plants.
The local Mall, which serviced towns in a 25 mile radius, has gone from 102 stores to less than 30. (No Anchor stores) An untold number of jobs lost, and of course the loss of taxes to our city. All of this loss compounded by the loss of small farms and the farm worker jobs.
The trickle down effect is a long process... beginning with the loss of higher paying jobs, but initially, the people do not move, and the children continue to go to local public schools, at an average (U.S.) cost of more than $10,000 yr. per student.
All of the above will now be exacerbated by the continued effect of tariffs on soybeans. (An added problem, the shift of soybean planted fields to corn, that will cause an eventual loss of value, as there is no major replacement market.)
The full effect of these changes will likely take place next year, and local governments will strain to maintain services we take for granted today.
....................................................................................................
Another secondary effect of tariffs will be the losses in the U.S. Fishing Industry, particularly lobstering. The current loss exceeds 80% of last years crop, as Canada takes over the supply of lobsters to China. I am a little bit close to this, with old time friends from Maine who are still in the business, and a nephew who lives and works in lobstering on Canada's Prince Edward Island. Almost all of the U.S. losses on the lobster business has or is going to Canada.
....................................................................................................
A world in constant change... not just farming, but Technology, which most here are more familiar. My own son works as the manager of the Technology Department of a Consumer Preference Analysis business in a small town outside of Chicago. With the advance of technology, his department had gone from nine employees to four, and the business itself has a questionable future, as the companies it services may take on the specialty internally.
EDIT This morning's paper.... A local power plant will close too, with the loss of another 80 jobs...(Consolidation or three smaller plants into one larger more distant operation.)
.....................................................................................................
While we will all adapt to the changes, my initial worry for the future is about the eventual problems in Public Education, and the loss of many town services as tax revenues dry up.
.....................................................................................................
A "top of the head" unofficial look... subject to your own facts and interpretation. I hope I'm wrong.
Last edited: