Why should we prevent some seeds in acid before selling to farmers?
96773
If I understand your questtion, it is to remove or soften the outer shell so the seed can sprout. Did you know that southern native cedar tree seeds will not sprout in nature unless first consumed by a bird? As the  seed passes through the bird's acidic digestive system it's hard outer shell is removed/softened, which allows moisture to cause it to sprout.
982478
There's no reason in the world that our government should be subsidizing farmers or any other business. When you go into business you are taking a risk no matter what the product is. Elimination of risk is socialism at best but more like communism. If farmers want to eliminate the risk of crop failure let them buy insurance.\n\nAs already mentioned, farm subsidies are all about votes. The Senators from South Dakota are arguing now for $5 billion in aid due to a friggin' drought.
1170670
Yes, but with a few conditions I believe is the best solution. I think they should be given funds based on the amount of food they have grown and was not sold or used. Funds should be allocated based on some criteria like...\n\n1) Below current domestic market value\n2) Above the price it would be to sell it abroad\n3) Up to a set limit based on the type of food/product it is\n\nThe idea here is that they should not get full price for the food which no one can use. This would cause farmers to grow massive amounts of food because they would know they get money for it all. It should be above the price it would be to sell it aboard (we want to keep the organic material on the country's soil for replanting and future use) and based on the difficulty and cost it is to grow/raise the certain product they should be compensated for proportionately. \n\nIf it is cheaper to grow wheat than lettuce, why should the people growing wheat be paid the same as those with lettuce? This would cause everyone to grow wheat.\n\nI am not a whiz at subsidies, but a few of these ideas make sense to me.
1183571
The governments egged on by lobbying business interests, are fast disengaging from affairs related to farming viz. irrigation, finance & other support. Traditionally no rule could afford to ignore their agriculture& irrigation as they formed the basis of their sustenance & material. Now with western planning dictating the policy directions  of most of the third world, the governments are no more engaged in developing sustainable water bodies & the hapless farmers are left at the mercy of unscrupulous business interests & moneylenders.\nNow that water is fast being made into a commodity at the behest of new trade agreements pushed through by the western governments and the demand for the megere fresh water resources available on earth  escalating ( note the numerous water disputes among riparian states) the condition of farmers in the current senario is hopeless.\nAs of now the establishments in power have no viable solutions for the farmers woes nor do they really intend to.\nThey support companies patenting grains, cereals etc, which were grown from time immemorial by farmers.  Implying the farmers hereafter have to pay these companies for the seeds even if they are cultivated by themselves. In the name of developing hybrid & hiyield vareties they are trying to make sure that word agriculture depends on them & pay them for each crop.\n The existing markets which farmers are well acquainted with are destroyed and systems that would favour transnational business interests are being installed. \nIn short the goats are left at the mercy of wolves.
77388
pH in itself isn't harmful, it's just a measure of hydrogen in a solution. That is what's dangerous, the hydrogen ions from acid floating around.
623909
Scientists are not clueless.  However medicine is a big money industry.  An Australian man found a cure for 80% of all ulcers.  However, pharmaceutical companies tried to suppress his findings and prevented him from getting grants because all of the over the counter acid reducing drugs were becoming available.  In desperation, this scientist ended up using himself as a test subject to prove his theory.  I never had ulcers, and do not know what became of this.  But it is one small example of how corporations, government, and litigation can prevent cures from happening.
410044
Well, if the human body were unable to use buffer solutions to neutralize excess acid or base, thereby maintaining a stable pH range, you would die.\n\nNeutralization is also useful for cleanup of spills of hazardous materials.
398945
because they contain acids in them.  You can neutralize it by drinking milk (milk is a base).
370350
This is so they ensure the survival of the plant species by reproducing them self's.  The seeds attract birds and animals to eat them and they in turn help spread the seed.  This is more efficient than pure wind distribution.
113912
Commercial processing of seeds is designed to ensure maximal germination, not to stop them germinating.\n\n\nThe simple fact is that not all seeds are viable, just as not all pregnacies result in children.\n\n\nFor various reasons seeds can fail. Sometimes that is because of genetic flaws within the seeds. Sometimes the seeds get infected with diseases or mites that eat them before they germinate.\n\n\nMostly seeds fail simply because theye weren't treated right. Sometimes the seeds are too old and have died. Sometimes they are buried too deep, or have been watered too much, or not watered enough, or let get to hot, or too cold or a million other environmental factors that prevent germination.
45102
There are lots of online ag education resources that deal with this. See sources for links.
844981
It is better to use the actual seeds, they contain more fiber.  If you use 2 teaspoons and grind them you'll be okay.
332041
Nitrogen is important to plant growth.
677352
any vegetable ash, contains alkalis that is pottassium and sodium hydroxides (or oxides if fresh) (oxides rapidly absorb moisture from air to form hydroxides.) Alkali react with acids to form salts and water so ashes reduce soil acidity. Any plant matter contains pottassium and sodium also other metals such as magnesium and calcium, all end up as hydroxides in the ash, all react with soil acids. The more calcium and magnesium in the ash the slower but more long lasting the effect as these are less soluble so not washed out of the soil quickly. Ash should be spread onto soil and mixed with the top layer, if rainfall in area is low it should be watered in otherwise allow natural rainfall to do that, the amount of ash to use would depend on the acidity of soil and relative concentration of Na , K vs Ca and Mg
235221
Abstract  Laboratory studies were carried out in the Department of Biological Sciences, Ogun State University, Ago-Iwoye, southwestern Nigeria, to determine the extent of fungal deterioration of melon seeds stored in two types of storage bags viz; jute and polyethylene bags. Melon seeds of varieties Tc139 and V2 were stored in jute and polyethylene bags under ambient conditions using the 2 × 2 factorial design (variety vs type of bag) for 12 months. The moisture content (mc), incidence of visible mouldiness (ivm) and germinability of the stored seeds were determined monthly. The mc of Tc139 ranged from 6.1 to 6.7% in jute and 6.2 to 6.5% in polyethylene bags. The ivm which was initially 2.1% increased to 10.7% and 5.5% in jute and polyethylene bags respectively, after 12 months in storage. The germination percentage decreased from 96.3% to 28.7% and 45.3% in jute and polyethylene bags, respectively. The mc of V2 stored in jute and polyethylene bags varied from 5.9 to 6.4%, and 5.8 to 6.2%, respectively. The ivm increased from 1.8% before storage to 8.9% and 4.8% in jute and polyethylene bags, respectively, after 12 months. The percentage seed germination declined from 98.0% to 37.3% in jute and 48.7% in polyethylene bags after 12 months. Decreased incidence of field fungi namely: Alternaria,Botryodiplodia theobromae, Cladosporium, Fusarium and Macrophomina phaseolina was accompanied by simultaneous increase in storage fungi viz: Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Rhizopus with prolonged storage.\ndeterioration - fungi - jute sacks - melon seeds - polyethylene bags\n\nThis revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.
510771
They are illegal as they are seeds and contain a maggot that squirms when it is heated.  Seeds are illegal to import into the U.S.
168885
It is NOT the right answer. There are so many other ways to combat hunger and end famine. (if only they were financially beneficial to those with the power to implement them) Western countries are looking for ways to financially benefit from trade agreements and biotech contracts instead of altruistically wishing to end hunger and poverty. And all of it at the cost of the environment and human health and lives.\n\n"Resistance to GMOs in Africa made the headlines in 2002 when Zambia rejected GM food aid at a time of critical food shortages in parts of the country. \n\n"Despite pressure from around the world, the Zambian government maintains that it has made a responsible decision by not accepting GMO food aid. We argue that the long-term impacts of GMOs and products derived from them are not fully understood and, therefore, safety and caution should take precedence over other interests including international trade agreements," says Dr. Mwananyanda Mbikusita Lewanika, Executive Director of the National Institute for Scientific & Industrial Research in Zambia."\n\nGMOs are BAD for people and the environment.\nhttp://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/genetic-engineering/feeding-the-world-facts-vers\nhttp://www.alternet.org/story/11224/tp://www.non-gm-farmers.com/news_print.asp?ID=2080\nhttp://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/genetic-engineering\nhttp://www.truefoodnow.org/\nhttp://ipcb.org/