The Peak Oil crisis will also impact on agriculture in a massive way!

The Peak Oil crisis will not only mean a shortage of fuel for transport and heating – it will also mean a major loss in the production of high energy fertilisers – impacting massively on crop yields!

Yesterday’s publication of the first in our Peak Oil series reports has sparked some debate and generated feedback which sadly indicates just how ill-informed the majority of the population seems to be on this issue.
That perhaps is not surprising as it is an issue largely ignored by the mainstream media and barely mentioned by the dinosaur politicians of

the Lib/Lab/Con party; this in part no doubt because of the major changes individuals, businesses, societies and nations will face. The Old Gang parties do not like and are not prepared for change they themselves have no control over. The prospect of a post-oil world presents them with a sense of fear and dread. The British National Party however is ready to embrace the challenges of a post-oil future as it will present us with many more prospects than threats, many more positives than negatives and present us with a once in a generation window of opportunity to make life in Britain safer, more prosperous, healthier and more spiritually fulfilling.

Some of the responses received are to be blunt – short-sighted. Suggestions of switching to public transport, driving less, driving hybrid/electric or more fuel-efficient cars, switching freight from diesel lorries to electric railways are of course positive suggestions but only address one issue – vehicular movement; such measures are akin to moving the deckchairs on a sinking ship.

Today we will have a look at another aspect of the Peak Oil crisis which broadens the picture – the food on our plates.

In the United States, 400 gallons of oil equivalents are expended annually to feed each American (as of data provided in 1994).

Agricultural energy consumption is broken down as follows:

• 31% for the manufacture of inorganic fertilizer
• 19% for the operation of field machinery
• 16% for transportation
• 13% for irrigation
• 8% for raising livestock (not including livestock feed)
• 5% for crop drying
• 5% for pesticide production
• 8% miscellaneous

Energy costs for packaging, refrigeration, transportation to retail outlets, and household cooking are not considered in these figures. Similar figures apply to the UK, Europe and other industralised nations.

PR-Inside