Posted on 05/14/2021 7:06:21 PM PDT by ammodotcom
Farm subsidies are perhaps the ultimate, but secret, third rail of American politics. While entitlements are discussed out in the open, farm subsidies are rarely talked about – even though they are the most expensive subsidy Washington doles out.
All told, the U.S. government spends $20 billion annually on farm subsidies, with approximately 39 percent of all farms receiving some sort of subsidy. For comparison, the oil industry gets about $4.6 billion annually and annual housing subsidies total another $15 billion. A significant portion of this $20 billion goes not to your local family farm, but to Big Aggie.
(Note that this $20 billion annual farm subsidy figure doesn’t take into account the 30+ years of ethanol subsidies to the corn industry nor export subsidies to U.S. farmers issued by the USDA.)
The government never properly explains why this is. Certainly small farmers are growing their crops at enormous risk. However, it’s not clear that agriculture is any different than other high-risk industries – especially because the United States is blessed with some of the most fertile farmland in the world, and a highly skilled labor force.
Subsidies don’t just cost taxpayers, an expense that might properly be justified by showing a return on investment. Subsidies also provide powerful disincentives against innovation, as well as cost effectiveness and diversification of land use.
There is also a strong case to be made that farm subsidies are a major driver of the obesity and cancer epidemic in the United States. Every time Washington interferes in the private sector, they are picking winners and losers. The winners chosen are companies producing food that’s high in calories and low in nutritional density – and that helps make Americans sick and fat, because it distorts what food is available at what price.
(Excerpt) Read more at ammo.com ...
I did not touch on the subject of GMO seed and the hooks that go along with it. Talk about medicine that has not been fully tested?
That one needs honest careful analysis of the consequences.
Dollars and cents do not tell the full story of that.
Not must fast food is cheaper than cooking economically at home.
Sounds nice! I grew up on a farm myself and miss it more every day.
soybeans and corn.
It’s just too easy now. A big machine readies the field. A big machine plants the roundup ready gmo seed. A big machine sprays it with roundup. A big machine harvests it. Repeat.
Why would a farmer want to grow anything else?
Can’t harvest tomatoes with a big machine.
Would you rather maintain a big machine or 50 Mexicans?
Didn’t some teen murder and bury some people on Donaldson’s ranch in the distant past?
Yep. I found it.
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-man-who-killed-3-at-sam-donaldsons-nm-ranch-freed-2010oct09-story.html
A elementary school near me has free breakfast lunch and after school snacks for the so called poor and not a thin one in the lot all chubby ones.
Most of the teachers let them graze on sweets during class time.
Not a good way to help a kid
It’s like what Thomas Sowell said: “One of the most ridiculous defenses of foreign aid is that it is a very small part of our national income. If the average American set fire to a five-dollar bill, it would be an even smaller percentage of his annual income. But everyone would consider him foolish for doing it.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.