john250
Well-known member
Programs distort the free market. There does seem to be agreement on that point. It isn't really debateable.
The way they distort the market and who benefits seem to be open for debate.
Corn, wheat, cotton, rice and sugar get by far the largest portion of the payment pie.
Disaster relief and subsidized crop insurance gets a pretty good part also.
Conservation programs get the scraps that fall off the table.
The whole package runs about 20-25 billion.
Since the next farm bill is being written now, y'all might want to write to your US Representative. Most of them know zilch about farming/ranching and would be glad to hear from you. Doesn't mean they'll vote the way you'd like, but hey, you tried.
I'm not smart enough to know exactly what would happen if the payment programs went away, but I expect it wouldn't make or break very many of us on this board. That aside, there would certainly be winners and losers. And pain.
It is difficult to summon the political will to trim any part of the federal budget. The corn farmers, the asphalt contractors, the defense contractors ad infinitum are all pushing their programs as absolutely essential to Mom, Apple Pie and bratwurst at a NASCAR weekend America.
The budget cutters don't have the same ($) motivation as the budget breakers. So we go on doing the same things and expecting better results next time.
The way they distort the market and who benefits seem to be open for debate.
Corn, wheat, cotton, rice and sugar get by far the largest portion of the payment pie.
Disaster relief and subsidized crop insurance gets a pretty good part also.
Conservation programs get the scraps that fall off the table.
The whole package runs about 20-25 billion.
Since the next farm bill is being written now, y'all might want to write to your US Representative. Most of them know zilch about farming/ranching and would be glad to hear from you. Doesn't mean they'll vote the way you'd like, but hey, you tried.
I'm not smart enough to know exactly what would happen if the payment programs went away, but I expect it wouldn't make or break very many of us on this board. That aside, there would certainly be winners and losers. And pain.
It is difficult to summon the political will to trim any part of the federal budget. The corn farmers, the asphalt contractors, the defense contractors ad infinitum are all pushing their programs as absolutely essential to Mom, Apple Pie and bratwurst at a NASCAR weekend America.
The budget cutters don't have the same ($) motivation as the budget breakers. So we go on doing the same things and expecting better results next time.
