Why Does The United States Government Need A "Raisin Reserve?"

Washington Post via Outside the Beltway Blog ^ | July 26, 2013 | Doug Mataconis

[Innovative]

A Florida congressman has introduced a bill that would eliminate one of the U.S. government's most unusual institutions: the Raisin Administrative Committee, keepers of the national raisin reserve.

The raisin reserve is a program established by the Truman administration which gives the Agriculture Department a heavy-handed power to meddle in the supply and demand for raisins.

To limit the supply of raisins on the market, the government can simply take tons of raisins from the farmers who grew them.

Sometimes, the farmers don't get paid a cent in return.

On Thursday, Rep. Trey Radel (R)introduced a bill that would eliminate the reserve’s legal underpinnings. It would end the 1949 rule, Marketing Order 989, that created the Raisin Administrative Committee and the reserve.

[SunkenCiv]

George Carlin said he always wanted to be in this commercial, “sittin’ down in the milk, with my raisin beret...”

CTTOI, haven’t heard from him in a while either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGXl311mM3A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Biuwby6j5Gw

[dearolddad]

The Raisin Reserve is just one of a thousand or more things that need to be shut down.

I think there are the same types of regs. for oranges and avocados. (market orders)

[GeronL]

Yep. and peanuts are controlled and sugar prices are artificially high because of government programs and...

[hattend]

On Thursday, Rep. Trey Radel (R)introduced a bill that would eliminate the reserve’s legal underpinnings. It would end the 1949 rule, Marketing Order 989, that created the Raisin Administrative Committee and the reserve.

Well, it's a start! Probably 3000 government employees on this Committee by now.