Of course the reasons food stamps and farm subsidies are lumped togetherare that it secures the votes of welfare state legislators and farm state legislators. Something for everyone!
What people fail to understand is that subsidies hurt those being subsidized. They see the immediate payola, but fail to see they get hurt in the long run. Farm subsidies are a big reason why the family farm is dying.
I read that this bill is even worse than earlier ones, because it puts taxpayers on the hook for almost any and all risks farmers face. Higher taxes and higher food prices. Once again we have the triumph of special interests over the good of the country.
And WalMart. They love selling subsidized ag to SNAP card shoppers.
They will end subsidies yet still tell the farmers how much they can charge for their products. The big boys ain’t gonna’ like this.
I went to high school with farmers’ children who are now wealthy. I also went to school with some who had to sell the family farm and move away. I knew a family with 5 children who lived very well farming 400 acres. That was without subsidies. In fact, I thought they were rich. None of the kids farm anymore. They’ve either sold the land or rented it out and found regular jobs.