Reply #19: And we use massive amounts of fossil fuels on farms

[NickB79]

My dad is a farmer. He burns well over 1000 gallons of gasoline and diesel a year in tractors and farm vehicles working the fields of our 100 acre family farm. Then there is the fuel used to ship that food an average of 1500 miles before it reaches someone's plate, not to mention the energy used in processing and packaging of that food.

I've always found this link interesting: http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/100303_eating_oil.html

"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

08% for raising livestock (not including livestock feed)

05% for crop drying

05% for pesticide production

08% miscellaneous"