The Positive Effect of Mount Sinabung on American Agriculture

By Allison Cott

The Peanut Gallery

on Agriculture:

The tragic eruption of Mount Sinabung has caused tremendous amounts of death and horrible situations for the island of Sumatra, but may actually be a solution to some of the United States agricultural problems. There have been many issues in the U.S. with people not buying enough domestic goods. A lot of people think that the produce and farm animal meat that they are eating is being grown right here in the United States of America. Well, they are sadly mistaken.

Starting in the 1920s, our country went into an Agricultural Depression and we have been spiraling downwards ever since then. At the beginning of the 20th century, about 25% of the nation’s population was involved in farming. Now less that number has dropped to less than 2%. Today, most of our countries agricultural products and goods come from trading with foreign nations or from large mass-producing factories.

It has become too costly for us to buy domestic goods from small independent farmers. We now tend to go to Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and many other cheaper stores to buy our agricultural products. This trend is affecting our smaller farmers in ways that we cannot even imagine. Since most of these larger stores get their goods from other nations that will sell them what they need at a less expensive rate, or from factories that will mass produce these items and sell them at a lower cost, our small American farmers are suffering.

On February 25th, a tragic accident has occurred. Mount Sinabung on the Indonesian island of Sumatra has erupted. The immediate deaths of the volcano erupting are about 40,000, and the deaths expected from the aftermath of the situation are expected to be about 200,000. In addition to the deaths the land and crops of the island are completely destroyed. This is going to affect the United States agricultural issues in multiple ways. Since all of the nations that once traded with Sumatra are no longer going to be able to, the U.S. may need to start producing more domestic goods. This will befit all of the smaller farmers because they will have more jobs in the fields.

Although this is a horrible tragedy, it may end up affecting the United States in a positive way because we will be purchasing domestic goods. This will help because we will be more likely to buy from our own smaller American farmers.