Subsidies

[AngusSenorita]

I am fully aware that I am opening a can of worms with this topic, but I'm curious.

I've been a long time member here, mostly on the show board, but I stopped posting when I graduated. I'm an animal science major and am going to be an ag teacher; I'm very interested in local based agriculture, sustainable practices etc.

What do you think would happen to the agriculture industry if commodity subsidies (not disaster or conservation subsidies) were removed? How would we effectively produce food at a price that the lower income population could afford? How would consumers react to increased prices? How would it effect our international trade? How would it cause a shift in the meat industry (due to the increase of feed commodities to feed hogs, chickens, cattle etc.) What about the horse industry?

Could you even imagine a world without oil subsidies?

Please don't fight - I know this is a hot topic, I just want to hear individual opinions form people in the industry.

 

[MO_cows]

Awhile back, John Stossell did a 20/20 segment on that very thing. New Zealand eliminated their ag subsidies and when it was first announced, there was a huge outcry from their people and protesting in the streets. But after a couple years, by all accounts that he presented in the piece, the industry was healthy. Nobody was starving, prices were stable, etc. That's not comparing apples to apples but it's an intriguing idea.

 

[Jogeephus]

What is so special about conservation and disaster subsidies? I think if you are going to take them away you should take them all away. In time, things will get sorted out and the strong producers will be left standing. I suspect the strong ones will be more of the corporate type. Will be fewer of them but more easily controlled.

 

[Alberta farmer]

One time, when Alberta was throwing out a pittance for some kind of drought or cow subsidy, my nephew said it must be nice to be on the government tit. Now he had a good job in the oil patch and lived in town. I told him well yes we were getting a few bucks but he should remember he too was on the government tit with programs like unemployment, workmans compensation, municipal grants and further more the industry he worked in got a lot of sweetheart deals from the government that the ag industry didn't get. I told him I was prepared anyday to get off the tit whenever the rest of society was ready to do the same.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Please don't fight - I know this is a hot topic, I just want to hear individual opinions form people in the industry.

Good luck. This subject has been locked down several times.

I'd vote for no subsidies of any kind for anything.

 

[stockman12]

Does that mean all of the subsidies paid to society or just ag?

 

[aplusmnt]

Please don't fight - I know this is a hot topic, I just want to hear individual opinions form people in the industry.

Good luck. This subject has been locked down several times.

I'd vote for no subsidies of any kind for anything.

I am with you! None for nothing! Problem is Washington has messed trade up so bad just not sure how they can fix it now.

 

[AngusSenorita]

that's what I'm wondering. It seems like we have created this system, it got out of control, and now we've got a false market and I'm not sure how we would survive without it. I understand Gov support like disaster subsidies - hurricanes don't really answer to our will.

The USDA does not publish subsidy info on the internet but the Environmental Work Group posts the numbers. So far I think they have 1995 through 2006, maybe 2007 and 2008.

http://farm.ewg.org/farm/

thanks for the info about New Zealand

 

[backhoeboogie]

Does that mean all of the subsidies paid to society or just ag?

All