Posted on 12/03/2006 12:45:22 PM PST by Aikonaa
FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. — For decades, the fiercely independent fruit and vegetable growers of California, Florida and other states have been the only farmers in America who shunned federal subsidies, delivering produce to the tables of millions of Americans on their own.
But now, in the face of tough new competition primarily from China, even these proud groups are buckling. Produce farmers, their hands newly outstretched, have joined forces for the first time, forming a lobby group intended to pressure politicians over the farm bill to be debated in Congress in January.
Nobody disputes that competitive pressures from abroad are squeezing fruit and vegetable growers, whose garlic, broccoli, lettuce, strawberries and other products are a mainstay of world kitchens. But the issue of whether the United States ought to broaden farm subsidies beyond the commodity crops like corn and cotton, which have historically been protected, is a big flashpoint.
“This is like the tectonic plates of farm policy shifting, because you have a completely new player coming in and demanding money,” said Kenneth A. Cook, president of Environmental Working Group, a research group in Washington that has been critical of farm subsidies, which are mandated by federal laws that date to the Great Depression.
Although some farmers may be suffering, American consumers have been big beneficiaries of cheap food imports. On the United States wholesale market, for example, Chinese garlic costs almost half the price of garlic that is grown domestically. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Non-Bush Gardens.
Bush Free Gardens.
American Gardens.
Biologically Safe Gardens.
Florida... as I see it, the citrus industry is the victim of selling off their land to developers. The Citrus crop moved South to Brazil, etc.... yes there are a few virus affecting the remaining citrus farmers.
Wouldn't it just be easier to tariff the imports?
"Foreign Pesticide/Poison Free Gardens"
That's the one! Other countries do not follow our high standards of pesticide use. Monsanto et al, still makes many of the U.S. banned pesticides, insecticides & fungicides for export only.
BTW, Bananas are one of the worst. We expanded our garden this year and will develop more next spring.
Too bad our USDA did not support the COOL (Country of Origin Labeling) Program. We're not even allowed to know where our fruits & veggies come from anymore. All in the name of "Globalism" and "Fair Trade".
The founding fathers would agree with you. The free traders will vilify you.
Well, if we're subsidizing on one end, wouldn't it make more sense to tariff on the other end instead? There's really no free trade with subsidies.
On May 13, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, more commonly known as the 2002 Farm Bill. One of its many initiatives requires country of origin labeling for beef, lamb, pork, fish, perishable agricultural commodities and peanuts.
On January 27, 2004, President Bush signed Public Law 108-199 which delays the implementation of mandatory COOL for all covered commodities except wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish until September 30, 2006.
On November 10, 2005, President Bush signed Public Law 109-97, which delays the implementation for all covered commodities except wild and farm-raised and shellfish until September 30, 2008. As described in the legislation, program implementation is the responsibility of USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service.
http://www.ams.usda.gov/COOL/
What did you expect, Bush to actually give a damn about the American consumer?
Yea, silly me. :)
Imported Chinese garlic putting Gilroy, CA garlic growers out of business.
http://www.cropchoice.com/leadstryed7c.html?recid=1901
Try 20-20-20 in the bag lot less work.LOL
Faliure of the pub's. in congress to get this done is another reason they got their butts kicked out. Farms have been wanting to get beef labeled for years, but the packing houses always buy enough vote to block it. Which is the same thing they are doing on the illegal labor.
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