• @az04@lemmy.world
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    26 hours ago

    The whole “more cows and computerized milking raised prices of milk” reeks of anti-industrial Luddite garbage.

    • @cogman@lemmy.world
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      123 hours ago

      What actually raises the price of milk is the farmer uses his profits to buy up other local dairy farms consolidating their position in the market. They then sign exclusivity deals with both grocers and further milk processors (who are also consolidating) to prevent competing in the market, driving their competitors to either sell for cheap or go out of business. https://theconversation.com/americas-dairy-farms-are-disappearing-down-95-since-the-1970s-milk-price-rules-are-one-reason-why-237439#:~:text=Across the country%2C the dairy,per farm – has been rising.

      Because “farm Inc” has a massive horde of wealth, they can stamp out competition by either buying them out, cutting them out, or driving them out of business with prices a small farmer can’t handle. After that, they get to set and raise prices at will with the now smaller pool of big name “farm Inc”.

      This literally happens every time a market is poorly regulated and businesses allowed to grow too big. It’s the natural end state of capitalism.

    • WillStealYourUsername
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      4 hours ago

      You should read about who the luddites actually were. They were not opposed to technology, but to poor wages, low quality goods, and workers being replaced. Capitalists destroyed their reputation with propoganda.