U.S. rebuffs olive growers' plea for relief from imports' impact

Sacramento Bee ^ | January 9, 2004 | Michael Doyle

[farmfriend]

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday turned thumbs down temporarily on the Central Valley olive growers who had hoped to pluck some federal aid.

Though olive imports have increased, USDA officials said they couldn't yet conclude the increases "contributed importantly" to a decline in U.S. producer prices. Consequently, the domestic growers aren't eligible for a new form of aid designed to offset trade losses.

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

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[lelio]

Maine blueberry farmers and Texas shrimp fishermen, for instance, have been among those receiving aid so far. Louisiana freshwater crawfish fishermen are still waiting for word on their petition.

I'm beginning to wonder if the Free Trader's plan is to wreck our own domestic producers, get them all on the government dole, and then not even have to worry about looking for a job as they'll be a part of the government graft network.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

Dear American Citizen Olive Growers:

You're American Citizens, therefore you'll get no help from your government. Foreigners only need apply. Them we regale, we make "special." And, oh yeah, it helps if you move South of the Border...you'll get even more.

[lelio]

The olive growers could be complaining that foreign olives are recieving unfair subsidies, perhaps, but the US government should definitely get out of the business of making food more expensive for Americans to eat.

Who are the olive growers going to complain to besides the US government, which by law is the only one that can set foreign trade policy?

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[farmfriend]

The olive growers could be complaining that foreign olives are recieving unfair subsidies, perhaps, but the US government should definitely get out of the business of making food more expensive for Americans to eat.

Spoken like someone who know nothing about the issues facing todays farmers. The US government already is in the business of making food more expensive for our farmers to produce, this is why they cannot compete against the foreign market. Until this changes, we must keep the farmers we have left in business or our agriculture industry will go the way of our logging industry.

[kingu]

California olive producers would do better with me if they'd just identify what of the zillion brands of olives on my supermarket's shelves are theirs. I try hard to buy in state products, but rarely do I see a 'made in California' label outside of the dairy isle.

[Dane]

This might me a lost cause for you, farmfriend. On FR many people do not feel sympathy for the olive farmers.

After all they are the evilest of the evilest for hiring those evil Mexicans to pick the olives.

Those people are probably saying they deserve it.

[farmfriend]

Explain where I have any responsibility to keep marginally profitable or unprofitable farms in operation when the net result is merely higher prices I pay for food. Nope. If those boys on the farm want a decent living, they need to make their businesses profitable without stealing money from me, or they need to find another line of work.

That right there is the problem. You have a government who is actively trying to put farmers out of business. You require them to compete in a market that is stacked against them. I am all for free markets and competition but that is not what we have right now. If we don't take care of the unfair hindrances that farmers have to deal with, they will ALL go out of business and we will get ALL of our food from third world countries.

[farmfriend]

There supposedly was a buy California program going into the works. Also, I think the Grange supports lageling. Yes, I think if people in general knew where there food was grown it would help.

[farmfriend]

After all they are the evilest of the evilest for hiring those evil Mexicans to pick the olives.

Well, I think olives are picked mechanically but you are right. I get a lot of people like Prof Utonium who tout freemarket but don't understand how the enviros etc are driving them out of business. His love of price over everything else is what is bringing lettuce covered in hepatitis A or strawberries with ecoli into this country. But hey, if our farmers can't compete with that then they should just go out of business.

[wita]

It might help if you are very very specific about some or all of the things ag folks are facing when related to their profit margin, you know, like some of the environmental stuff, etc. I'm sure that their situation is somewhat like a person looking to buy a home.

If you are not independently wealthy. You have many choices and you can't have all of them. You want a 5 bedroom house with full basement, 3 car garage, three full baths, hot tub, walk in closets in every bedroom, 5,000 square feet, and a 5ac. lot.

This is your first house and what you can afford is a 3 bedroom with carport, with 1.5 baths, traditional closets, basement might be ok, and a 100 X 150 lot. New farmers have somewhat the same choices in an industry that favors old farmers and huge farmers but not new farmers.

[shaggy eel]

,,, any idea what percentage of US olives are grown in TX?

[farmfriend]

any idea what percentage of US olives are grown in TX?

NO but Hispanarepublicana might.

[dtel]

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/fruit/olive/olive.html

Judging from the info on this page, I would guess very few, if any olives were grown commercially in Texas.
The weather does not seem right for olive production.

[shaggy eel]

,,, many thanx for this info. I'm presently trying out Israeli and Australian hybids in my backyard and an Italian one at a summer house in another province. I've had the Aussie variety in for four years and the Israeli for two. I've wondered why Texas isn't mentioned much with all that spare land there is - I'll bookmark this.

Regards!