“farm subsidies are rarely talked about – even though they are the most expensive subsidy Washington doles out.”
“All told, the U.S. government spends $20 billion annually on farm subsidies”
The total PPACA subsidies are far larger I believe.
WASHINGTON - ABC newsman Sam Donaldson, who owns a sheep ranch in New Mexico, was criticized yesterday by New York's Republican senator for receiving thousands of dollars in federal farm subsidies.
Donaldson said he dislikes the subsidy system but it's part of staying competitive in the sheep business.
In a Senate speech, Sen. Alfonse D'Amato read from a Wall Street Journal article published Thursday that Donaldson was the third-largest recipient of wool and mohair payments in Lincoln County, N.M.
“Corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, and rice” are the biggie$.
“There are smaller subsidies for peanuts, sorghum, and mohair. Producers of meat, fruits, and vegetables can only benefit from crop insurance and disaster relief.”
https://www.thebalance.com/farm-subsidies-4173885
Combine food subsidies with the ADA controlled by Big Food and it’s a disaster.
Thats not it.
The diet model they have pushed on the public, plus the idiotic overly simplistic bmi catgories all of a suden overnite made people who were healthy, overweight or obese by a lot of preconceived assumptions on height and weight alone.
“it’s not clear that agriculture is any different than other high-risk industries”
Mother Nature is often happy to provide clarification.
Duh ! Fast food makes you sick. Not farmers !
Why is the author worried about $20bil when this administration wipes their ass with trillion dollar bills?
I farm, my family has farmed in this county since 1889.
I took the time to read this article to my wife and we discussed it.
She is a diabetic, she has a history of being heavy. So we watch her diet.
The article is absolutely on point. My ancestors survived here with no subsidies. They did it with a team of mules. Far cry from where we are today.
I’d sign on for a free to farm without a subsidy, but doubt the consumer would like the impact of that change.
“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.”
For “high density fructose corn syrup” corn and obesity, yes, in my opinion.
For cancer? Evidence please!
Yet, people claim we still have “food deserts” in our cities.
“Government Cheese” by The Rainmakers. A fun band
Nah.
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?
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