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Lawmakers push one-year extension of farm bill in bid to avert spike in milk prices
www.foxnews.com/ ^ | 30 Dec 2012 | AP

Posted on 12/31/2012 9:57:53 AM PST by impimp

The leaders in both parties on the House and Senate Agriculture committees have agreed to a one-year extension of the 2008 farm bill that expired in October, a move that could head off a possible doubling of milk prices next month. But House leaders have yet to say whether they will allow a vote on it.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: farm; farmer; milk; subsidies; welfare
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To: impimp

“Then let it collapse. I am not scared of the bogeymen you and others like you use to frighten us with.”

Then you’re an idiot. It means people will starve and die.


21 posted on 12/31/2012 11:09:33 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: eyedigress

“I am not a fan of anything government. “

Not the military, not roads, prisons, hospitals, fire trucks?

“You are apparently dependent on it.”

No but you are an ass.


22 posted on 12/31/2012 11:10:54 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: driftdiver; eyedigress
We are currently in the grip of a great drought. The country is engaged in a practice known since ancient times ~ rationing.

It doesn't feel like rationing but $12 a pound for beef is not normal ~ on the other hand $2 a pound for pork is a little more on target, and $1 a pound for chicken does make sense.

The market did only part of that ~ much of it was done by cutting us off from Canadian beef ~ fear of Mad Cow Disease! But chickens and pigs utilize grains more efficiently than do cattle ~ at least for meat.

When it comes to milk, the law was originally written when most regions had their own local dairy industries. They'd just had the experience of the Dust Bowl and that period's association with a different great drought.

Price supports were thought to be useful for keeping the local dairies in business no matter what happened to the local grain markets, plus, the greatest users of dairy products were families with children ~ and at that time the youth were the most likely to be poor and unable to afford milk for their babies (many Freepers were babies then BTW).

Market theories tend to collapse in the face of great droughts ~ at least when we are talking about agriculture. The way this system works now is the background costs to produce a gallon of milk sky rocketed ~ milk price support levels increased accordingly. When the drought ends, the background costs will decline and milk price support levels should decline accordingly.

Lurking in the background is the lost opportunity cost of the dairies ~ they could send their cows to slaughter and get a chunk of that $12 per pound retail beef price!

That would reduce the milk volume and increase the price even more.

Total elimination of the price supports will result in the herds being slaughtered and the price of milk rising far higher than a pitiful $8 per gallon!

23 posted on 12/31/2012 11:13:29 AM PST by muawiyah
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To: fhayek

We’ve been in trouble for decades. Perhaps we can send all these keyboard commandos to fix it. They don’t seem to care how many people get hurt.


24 posted on 12/31/2012 11:14:28 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: driftdiver
"Then you’re an idiot. It means people will starve and die."

fan of hyperbole?? wow-- just wow...

25 posted on 12/31/2012 11:19:02 AM PST by eeevil conservative (GIVE ME A PLACE TO STAND AND I WILL MOVE THE EARTH....Archimedes)
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To: impimp

Horsehockey!

Milk prices have NEVER doubled overnight in the nation’s history, and there’s no reason to believe they would just
because a favored piece of pork legislation was allowed to
expire.

This is just “Big Bird Cried, Save Our Funding!” all over again.


26 posted on 12/31/2012 11:21:49 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: muawiyah

“Total elimination of the price supports will result in the herds being slaughtered and the price of milk rising far higher than a pitiful $8 per gallon! “

Any idea how much milk the US Govt buys? Either directly or through food stamps and other programs?


27 posted on 12/31/2012 11:21:56 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: driftdiver

Please. Unraveling the problems caused by the idiotic policies foisted upon us by government is going to cause a great deal of pain for someone, regardless of how they are resolved. How much pain will there be if the dollar collapses, or if we have to repudiate our national debt? The truth is, we CANNOT get to the promised land from here. I am sorry that us ‘keyboard commandoes’ are beneath your respect. I have voted. I have lived my life as a responsible citizen. I have tried to raise good kids. The keyboard is my only vent. Sure we could prop up farmers. And teachers, and wind generated power producer, and auto workers. But who is going to prop up the government?


28 posted on 12/31/2012 11:22:31 AM PST by fhayek
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To: muawiyah

$12/pound beef? What cuts are you eating?

Shop around.

Cattle markets are around $1.3-$1.40 per pound to the producer.

Choice box beef market is $1.80-$2.00 per pound to the processor.


29 posted on 12/31/2012 11:23:21 AM PST by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
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To: driftdiver

yes we have been in trouble for decades....

We are not unconcerned about people getting hurt. We are merely more interested in making the sacrifices needed to get our freedom and liberty back right now, by our generation- instead of allowing ourselves to be so scared that we continue to support big government and let our children and grandchildren deal with the consequences of our fears...

when the rubber band snaps back it is going to hurt....but the further we keep letting it stretch = the more it will hurt...

sooner or later that dam is going to break...


30 posted on 12/31/2012 11:24:10 AM PST by eeevil conservative (GIVE ME A PLACE TO STAND AND I WILL MOVE THE EARTH....Archimedes)
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To: eeevil conservative

really? you think people wont starve when food prices skyrocket?


31 posted on 12/31/2012 11:26:29 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: fhayek

Its easy to say cut all of it and let the pieces fall where they may when you are sitting behind a keyboard.

Its a huge mess and you can’t just abandon people after making them dependent on you for decades.


32 posted on 12/31/2012 11:29:10 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: driftdiver
Price supports increase the price of food.
33 posted on 12/31/2012 11:29:43 AM PST by fhayek
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To: driftdiver

honestly- I think far fewer people will need to worry about starving than they will need to worry about thugs and bandits and violence....the communities where people care about one another will fare well(helping each other and sharing resources), the slums where the people have become wards of state through dependency will become a nightmare...

see a pattern??


34 posted on 12/31/2012 11:30:04 AM PST by eeevil conservative (GIVE ME A PLACE TO STAND AND I WILL MOVE THE EARTH....Archimedes)
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To: jjotto; muawiyah

Here in tampa a 3 lb cut of flank steak is running about $17 right now.

Ribeye is $11.99/lb on sale

I’m not a meat producer or a processor.


35 posted on 12/31/2012 11:32:28 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: driftdiver

The number of societies that have taxed themselves into prosperity is ZERO.
The number of societies that have spent themselves into prosperity is ZERO.

The milk subsidy is just another society hidden tax. It does not lead to prosperity for society ... only the crony few.


36 posted on 12/31/2012 11:34:08 AM PST by VRWC For Truth (Roberts has perverted the Constitution)
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To: fhayek

Sometimes they do, depends on what the item is and what the support is.


37 posted on 12/31/2012 11:34:55 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: VRWC For Truth

really? Please show a post where I stated any of those idiotic statements you are attributing to me.


38 posted on 12/31/2012 11:37:03 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: driftdiver

Name one society that has taxed its way into prosperity.

Name one society that has spent its way into prosperity.

Please explain why the milk subsidy isn’t a tax.

I’ll wait while the crickets chirp.


39 posted on 12/31/2012 11:50:36 AM PST by VRWC For Truth (Roberts has perverted the Constitution)
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To: driftdiver

A lot of Iowegians winter in Florida. A lot of them used to take meat with them because of poor quality in Florida. They claimed that had changed in more recent years.

In any case, Tampa high prices aren’t from outrageous producer prices.

Ribeyes seem about right. Way too much for flank steak.

Sample prices around Des Moines:

ribeye 7.99/lb.

top sirloin 4.99/lb.

new york strip 6.99/lb.

boneless chuck roast 3.69/lb

sirloin tip 2.99/lb.


40 posted on 12/31/2012 11:55:24 AM PST by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
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