2014年ESL之商务英语 20 Farming and Agribusiness（在线收听）

Farming and Agribusiness 

Brad: Is this your first visit to this area? 

Irene: It is and I’m surprised to see so many farms. I thought farming was a dying industry. 

Brad: Family farms and small-scale farming are disappearing, but agribusiness is alive and well, thanks to government subsidies. 

Irene: Are they lucrative? 

Brad: They can be, but the subsidies were originally given to protect the livelihood of farmers. 

Irene: And that’s not what’s happening? 

Brad: Well, agribusiness has edged out small-scale farms because output is the name of the game. A lot of small- scale farmers have thrown in the towel. 

Irene: That’s a shame, but the subsidies are still used to protect domestic food production, right? 

Brad: That may be, but we’re losing a way of life. I come from a long line of farmers. 

Irene: And you’re not farming? 

Brad: Nope. 

Irene: What do you do? 

Brad: I work for the government agency that gives out subsidies to the very farms that put us out of business. 

Irene: That’s quite a twist of fate. 

Brad: You said it. 

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse