...what industry are you in? Does the government directly subsidize your industry (doesn't count contracts for goods and services the government wants)
No the Government does not subsidize my industry, per se. If we count the cost of maintaining a military presence and foreign aid to buy "peace" in the region, oil imported from the Middle east is worth some $200/barrel, domestic oil is worth only about $16 today. So any subsidies hurt the domestic oil exploration industry where I work. (Over half of US production is from independant producers--smaller oil companies, not "big" oil companies.)
Some might call this a subsidy, but the government is not subsidizing oil, it is subsidizing our national security, and our economic security.
Again, Food, shelter, clothing. Without secure sources, we are ripe for the picking.
Basically, does the government pay you or the Saudis to not produce oil to keep prices up? Do they give you an exclusive lease on land at below market value, locking out those would pay fair market value? Do they do any of the other farming tricks like loan guarantees? If not, you're not directly subsidized.
To combine messages:
"No, I can't do the spoon bending trick, much less read minds. I read what you wrote."
You took it literally to mean only oranges. The oranges were only an example of any crop. Oranges were probably not a good example since we're good at making a profit there.
"I don't pretend to know what you mean by "relatively free" but famine continues in sub Saharan Africa."
All modern famine was a direct result of government farming policy or some type of situation where government broke down. For example: China, Russia and Ireland ("potato famine") were the direct result of government policy. Somalia, Ethiopia and much of the rest of Africa were either the result of government breakdown, or famine was being used to starve the enemy.
These days, people don't starve, people are starved.
"I'm all for a free market in farming."
Then let them pay a fair price for their land. It appears they've been in collusion for too long in order to keep prices down and profits up. This was at the direct cost of Arizona school kids.
If someone else is willing to pay a higher price, then they should beat that bid. There's no way the enviro movement will be able to take out all farmland, just small portions of it in certain places. They just can't compete with multi-billion dollar industry.
Like I said, it would be nice if they sunk all their money into conservation efforts such as this instead of lobbying. It should drain the coffers faster and actually benefit real people.