Who's Brazil?
When thinking about Venezuela recently, I compared it with Colombia and Brazil. All three countries have the same UNIVERSAL set of resources. Just about the only part of the world that can supply ALL of its own needs. All major crops, all livestock, hydropower, oil, gas, minerals. Brazil and Colombia make good use of their resources because they've maintained competent governments. Brazil likes pageantry, so its government provides a healthy dose of pageantry, but it doesn't collapse. Underneath the fireworks, it's quietly doing everything right. Venezuela got locked into the globalist oil trap early, and by now it's probably too late to escape.

US and Russia are close to universal but literally no cigar. Can't grow coffee or bananas or other tropical stuff.

Wondered which state in US could come closest to supplying its own needs, and the answer surprised me. I figured it would be Calif or Texas.

USDA has a WONDERFUL set of crop maps, showing where each crop is concentrated.

I was surprised to find that barley, the oldest and best grain, is strong RIGHT HERE in Eastern Wash, and nonexistent in the wheat states. Most crops are concentrated in two or three places, and for most crops North Dakota is one of those places.

So: North Dakota is unquestionably the closest to self-sufficient. It's a major source of barley, canola*, corn, beans, flaxseed*, alfalfa, hay, oats, soybeans, sugarbeets*, sunflowers, durum wheat, and spring wheat. It's the ONLY major source of the starred items. If ND went out of business, 13 of the 23 crops in the USDA's list of important crops would decrease notably, and the three starred items would disappear.

In livestock ND isn't among the majors, but clearly produces enough pork, beef and chicken for its own needs.

And of course OIL, and a competent steady sane government.

North Dakota is our Brazil.

Labels: skill-estate

  ¶ 3:45 PM