Commercial Dairying -- False Economy for Cow Protection

[Guest guest]

mark chatburn wrote:

 

> Samba, there are no good working models precisely

> because the cow is not seen as a business. Yes, she is

> like a child, but I would not skin my kid for leather

> as I would, and have done, a cow.

>

> It needs to be seen in a sentient and a utilitarian

> form.

>

> I have a 15 page discussion document entitled VEDA &

> Protection Farms which outlines the commercial

> approach.

>

> Prabhupada wanted ISKCON to form self-sufficient

> lives. Yet, a huge mortgage over ones farm deprives

> one of the ability to be at ease and money must be

> made somehow. I can buy milk for 50 cents a litre, but

> I can´t but protected cow milk for any price, it is

> rare. I would happily pay $2 per litre, yet where is

> it? It is a niche market commanding a premium price.

 

According to my calculations in 1986, based on our mature, protected

herd of 150 cows at Gita-nagari, our cost to produce on gallon of milk

was $10.00 per gallon -- five times the market price. However, for the

sake of argument, we will say that you were able to sell your milk at

only 4 times the going price and still break even in terms of profit and

loss.

 

Still, the question of demand remains. Are there really that many

people who, even though they may want to, could afford to buy milk that

costs 4 times the going rate on a regular basis, week-to-week? I

personally doubt it.

 

 

> ISKCON has made its mistakes and had its successes,

> but a commercial model is every day more in the cards.

> I am an old (young) ISKCONer but my idea is a

> commercial farm based on the lifetime protection of

> farm animals. At least the standards I maintain will

> be based on the Vedas. Someone else will not do this.

> This is why ISKCON must pre-empt the karmi and do

> commercial farming now before standards water down,

> which they inevitably will do.

 

If other people attempt to do this, those of us who know will suspect

cheating. I'd need to see at least a yearly census of names and ages of

cows -- something we can't even get from ISKCON, even though its

required by our laws.

 

> Any effort made is

> progress. To have tried to protect cows and fail is

> better than not at all.

 

This is where many of us might disagree sharply with cows. It depends

on what form your attempt to protect cows takes. If it means trying to

arrange a non-capitalistic social system like varnasrama where animals

can be protected -- that's one thing. But, if the way I try to protect

cows is to create a herd of 100 cows and then walk away as they starve

to death or get traded or sold off to the slaughterhouse -- I really

cannot agree with you at all. I would say that the bad karma I would

bring on myself would far outweigh my good intentions. Especially if in

the end I completely denied my responsibility or tried to cover up the

mess (as we so often see).

 

 

> But to try with knowledge and

> skilled application is better than a head-less plan.

> That is why a business model is needed with every

> component part costed and the market price derived.

>

> It must be profitable otherwise it will draw even of

> make a loss, the latter will lead to bankruptcy and

> the slaughter of the animals. A profit must be made to

> keep the project going. It must be planned for profit

> and growth. It must be priced for profit and growth.

 

We are all caught in the capitalist mind set. But Srila Prabhupada was

trained both in Marshall's economics and Gandhi's economics, so he could

put forth something based on self-sufficiency -- not market-oriented

production. Recommended reading to understand Srila Prabhupada's

perspective: Small is Beautiful by E.F. Schumacher; Essays in Gandhian

Economics by Marc Lutz and Romesh Diwan.

 

> It is business accumen along with good principals that

> will make it work.

>

> Yours, Mark

 

In spite of all this, we all do appreciate your sincere mood. We just

pray that Krsna will reveal to you the actual economic dangers of this

plan before you actually undertake it. You have a lot of energy and a

lot of idealism. Hopefully you will find a more productive and

satisfying way to apply them which is still in line with your area of

work and research.

 

your servant,

 

Hare Krsna dasi