Yes I do understand, I didn't read your last reply carefully. My mistake was forgetting to account for the higher price of local farmers for their product. Thanks for your patience :D
To me, this whole issue highlights the necessity for artisan markets across all kinds of products. It's only through the demand for high-quality (non-GMO) crops that keeps those heirloom varietals in meaningful production, which preserves biodiversity.
I've been seeing a ton of artisan markets starting to pop up. This past week alone I went to three farmers markets in three different towns, ranging from 15 vendors to upwards of 60. I find the smaller ones are more likely to have great fruits and vegetables, but the larger ones will have a better selection of grass fed meats, small batch cheese producers, and other things I'm likely to buy. tng mentioned paying a premium for it, but I for one am happy to pay that premium. Especially after talking to the folks that show up and try to sell meat out of ice chests and the bread they baked a few hours earlier.
I'm with you 100% Part of this notion of equality we talk about so much in modern dialogue should include a greater respect for 'the least of us.' A farmer, a true artisan, a master of their craft who cares about producing a quality product for consumers in a sustainable way, should be elevated in respect in a similar manner to how we elevate people who don't actually produce anything (High finance, executive types etc)