Think globally, act locally, rural advocates told

Published: 2004-02-24

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- An ongoing "corporatist capitalism" is leading to a situation "where a handful of companies are telling nations how to run their economy," said Bob Gronski, policy coordinator for the National Catholic Rural Life Conference, at the organization's Feb. 21 meeting in Washington. But even under such a scenario, there are still plenty of decisions one can make to build a more just and sustainable local economy, according to Carol Richardson-Smith, the rural life conference's food system's specialist. Gronski and Richardson-Smith made presentations under the banner "Understanding International Trade: Global Food -- Local Food." The meeting was one of several wrap-around meetings that organizations planned in conjunction with the annual Catholic Social Ministry Gathering Feb. 22-25. "Free trade is not necessarily fair trade," Gronski said, citing the growth in concentration in the major livestock production industries and how corporations dominant in one area of livestock production are now emerging as powers in other areas.

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