Jim Goodman

Jim Goodman

Jim Goodman is a third-generation dairy farmer from Wonewoc, Wisconsin.

Articles by this author

MEAT SOLUTIONS: The Cargill meatpacking plant remains in operation after scaling production after as many as 18 employees have contracted the coronavirus (COVID-19) virus on April 17, 2020 in Fort Morgan, Colorado. Meatpacking plants are altering their production as outbreaks of the virus have been reported at the factories in Colorado, South Dakota, and Iowa. Views
Saturday, May 23, 2020
Make a Resilient, Localized Food System Part of the Next Stimulus
From wasted food to the exploitation of farmworkers, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it painfully clear that this country’s food system must be changed. Politicians must pass further stimulus legislation that includes policy to reform our inflexible, consolidated food system to prepare for future...
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The governor should keep in mind that a more diversified food system, one with more small farms and local processing facilities, rather than one in a constant state of consolidation, is much more resilient and less susceptible to the weaknesses that we see occurring due to this pandemic. (Photo: Hero Images/Getty Images) Views
Friday, May 08, 2020
That This System Would Fail Was Entirely Predictable
As we face empty grocery shelves the fragility of our highly consolidated food system has become clear during the crisis of COVID-19. We see a market that lacks the resiliency to shift supply lines and fill those shelves, but also a food system that does not provide (and in most cases never has...
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Mega-billionaire, Democratic presidential candidate, and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks at a campaign stop at Eastern Market in Detroit, Michigan, on February 4, 2020. (Photo: Jeff Kowalsky/AFP/Getty Images) Views
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Bloomberg Won’t, As They Say, Play Well in Peoria, But Then, Neither Should Trump
It seems that having money, plenty of money, must somehow bestow a certain sense of omniscience upon the very wealthiest in society, making some of them feel that they are uniquely qualified to hold political office. It would appear, unfortunately, that there are many voters and media outlets who...
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Kudos to Senator Warren for endorsing the Farmers Bill of Rights, and to Senator Sanders for seriously mentioning the farm crisis. (Photo: TumblingRun/flickr/cc) Views
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Farmers Need a Bill of Rights
On January 11, 1944 in his annual State of the Union Address, President Roosevelt noted that while the Constitution guaranteed a set of political rights, they were in some respects inadequate. To ensure equality, Roosevelt proposed an Economic Bill of Rights that would guarantee: Full employment...
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Commodity crop production for export and ethanol production feeds only the bottom line of corporations and Wall St. (Photo: TumblingRun/flickr/cc) Views
Monday, June 17, 2019
Current Farm Crisis Offers Opportunity For Change
JFK, as it turns out, was not correct when he noted 60 years ago that the word 'crisis' is a combination of the Chinese brush strokes meaning danger and opportunity. While he was linguistically incorrect, we get what he was saying. A crisis situation can be the impetus for change, an opportunity to...
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Farmworkers—according to some estimates numbering approximately three million—are forced to work for next to nothing as the landowners that employ them receive prices that are well below the cost of production. (Photo: Michael Davidson/flickr/cc) Views
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
An Anti-Trust Reboot Could Give Democrats Traction in Rural America
Democrats need to study history and follow the example of Theodore Roosevelt , in other words, become “trust busters.” Roosevelt was a Republican and his willingness to confront the monopolists of his day earned him scorn from some, yet enough support to win the Presidency in 1904. Eventually, the...
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With the current push to enact the Administrations USMCA (NAFTA 2.0) industry front groups are again passing themselves off as grassroots organizations pushing the best interests of farmers, working people and the environment. Don’t be fooled. (Photo: PeoplesWorld/cc/flickr) Views
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Don’t Fall for the Hype of Free Trade Agreements
Approval of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA 2.0 also known USMCA) will do little to reverse the problems of the NAFTA trade agreement of 1994. Nothing in the proposed replacement agreement will prevent job outsourcing, nor is there any part of the agreement that would reverse our...
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Two cows from Jim Goodman’s former herd. Views
Sunday, December 23, 2018
Dairy Farming is Dying. After 40 Years, I’m Done.
After 40 years of dairy farming, I sold my herd of cows this summer. The herd had been in my family since 1904; I know all 45 cows by name. I couldn’t find anyone who wanted to take over our farm — who would? Dairy farming is little more than hard work and possible economic suicide. A grass-based...
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There is a single factor that overrides the environmental, economic, and cultural crisis of rural America - overproduction. (Photo: Richard Hurd) Views
Wednesday, October 03, 2018
Bad Farm Policy Contributes to Natural Disasters
Good farm policy works for rural people by stabilizing prices, encouraging the growth of rural communities, and helping farm families deal with natural disasters. This last point is particularly relevant now, as fires rage in the Western US, tornadoes, hurricanes and floods destroy communities...
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Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Stop Pretending the Estate Tax Has Anything to Do With Family Farmers
The mystique of the family farmer in this country goes all the way back to Thomas Jefferson’s model for democracy. Jefferson centered his vision on the yeoman farmer, who, with family labor, worked a small farm and embodied the virtues of honest and hard work. It was an important idea to a new...
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