Unfortunately, the unprecedented prices US farmers are getting for their crops were not high enough to convince the congress to stop subsiding agricultural production; what's worse, they actually increased the hangouts!!
The insignificant increases in nutrition assistance to the poor at home and abroad, conservation, farmers markets, organic food, and minority farmers also part of the Farm Bill, do not hide the fact that there is still millions of dollars going to wealthy farmers. Both editorial pages of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal criticized the measure, showing the hypocrisy of parties across the isle that succumb to the interest of agribusiness lobbying groups and not the majority of taxpayer Americans, not to mention the millions across the world that will be affected by these policies.
For a good list of reasons to oppose this bill check out the blog of Harvard's Professor Greg Mankiw gregmankiw.blogspot.com (may 14th post)
1 comment:
Hi there. I just found your blog about agriculture and I think it is very interesting. I write on similar topics, but usually from a US farmer’s point of view. I agree that not all farmers should be receiving subsidies, but they are important when catastrophic events happen or countries go to war. I think the 2008 farm bill has done a good job of reducing the amount of farmers that qualify for subsidies. It is not a compete solution, but it is a step in the right direction.
Alex Tiller
http://blog.alextiller.com
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