$350 Billion in Subsidies to US Farmers

Scoop Media ^ | 13-12-01 | Maree Howard

[Blunderfromdownunder]

Trade delegations in Washington admitted defeat yesterday in their efforts to stop the U.S. from handing more than $350 billion in subsidies to its farmers. Maree Howard reports. Hard on the heels of a U.S. move to apply import tariffs on steel, a trade delegation led by Australian Agriculture Minister, Warren Truss, has spent two days trying to convince the U.S. Congress to change its planned Farm Bill.

Under the Bill, which goes before the U.S. Senate today, U.S. farmers will be paid to produce goods no matter the world price or demand.

Global dairy, citrus and sugar farmers will face the biggest threat from government-assisted U.S. farmers, although wheat and other broadacre crops will also face trouble.

Mr Truss said the decision of Congress to go ahead with the Farm Bill was bad for both Australian and world trade.

He said U.S. farmers were becoming less innovative and less prepared to adapt to world demand.

"We are especially concerned at the clear intent of the farm lobby to seek to entrench a mentality of farm subsidies in the USA," he said

Mr Truss says another problem was that the Bill undermined a new round of world trade talks.

He said while the U.S. had legitimate concerns about subsidies from the European Union, U.S. farmers were now getting more assistance than their European counterparts.
The $350 billion of subsidies in the Farm Bill will also affect New Zealand producers and is planned to stand for 10 years.
Australian Labour Opposition industries spokesman, Kerry O'Brien said " The Prime Minister should have given this matter much higher priority but he failed to do so and Australian (and NZ) farmers are the ones who will have to pay for his inaction."

[KDD]

Alan Keyes supports the farm subsidies and I agree with him on this.

Not quite.

Beware feds bearing gifts! (Keyes on Klamath)

See also...

Farm Subsidies: Socialism or a Necessary Part of the American System?

[Blunderfromdownunder]

1.The article was written for a NZ audience, which you would have known if you bothered to check the attribution or go to the source (its all right there in the URL.
2.I dont know what papers you read, but reporting of government spending typically takes the form quoted, governments, unlike individuals, tend to think, act and spend over the long term.
< 3.I am not "an admitted socialist", my bio says I am a lefty who wouldnt mind being tarred as a socialist (because thats what many FReepers tend to do when confronted with opnions they dont like.) If you would like to FReepmail me, I would be happy to let you know just where exactly my personal beliefs lie, you might be surprised
4.Scoop is not a "socialist rag". If it were, I doubt it would be posting press releases and opinion from conservative and Libertarian politicians and thinkers...But its always easier to argue from supreme ignorance, isnt it?
5.Are you denying that many US farmers are poor and inneficient? If they arent, what do they need with government handouts? And if they are, Shouldnt they take some personal responsibility and sort themselves out?
6.I am glad you can live without kiwis and wool because goodness knows, boycotting an entire nations produce because you disagree with one citizens opinion isnt an over-reaction at all...

[fleebag]

Have you been here?......http://ewg.org

[fleebag]

Well darn,left out the wwwwwwwwwwwwwws/www.ewg.org

[Blunderfromdownunder]

I was just there, as a matter of fact...So, government farm subsidies help out the big corporate farms while crippling the little family farms...Interestin'

[Blunderfromdownunder]

Nice...turn my comment that some research suggests that government farm subsidies tend to go to the big guys while leaving the little guys high and dry, into an accusation that I am in favour of a soviet-style cooperative agricultural sector. You should try out for AM talk radio with those skills.

[fleebag]

In fact it's pretty interesting how it works. Some of the people in my State/county/area, I know personally and it's not all as it seems. But show me one program the Government runs that runs well. Besides the Military.

[boycott]

I know peanut farmers that have made millions off the subsidies. It's a freaking joke.

[hoot2]

"Figure is grossly exaggerated. $350 BILION? That's more than our defense budget. "

military votes don't count; farm votes do. especially if you are involved with bison..or dairy

[Blunderfromdownunder]

Its a strange situation. We have gotten rid of all farm subsidies, along with all import-tarrifs (excluding clothes, shoes and textiles) and now have a centre-left government that is perfectly willing to continue in this open/free-market vein, while the US with is conservative government is happy to go with the status quo, proping up ailling businesses with abandon. While, (as Shaggy eel) noted in a previous post, the upheaval in many peoples lives was huge when the NZ economy was opened up was enormous, we will ultimately be better off for it, but only if everyone else plays the game with reasonable fairness (I realise I am a bit of a dreamer ;-).

[bayourod]

"All those rural farming areas in the USA tend vote Republican dont they? "

No. That's why we have so many democrat senatores from states thatb vote overwhelmingly Republican in Presidential elections. ie..Tom Dashle

Welfare farmers are just another form of welfare trash.

[Jean S]

Figure is grossly exaggerated. $350 BILION? That's more than our defense budget.

My thought exactly. I don't know the exact amount spent in the yearly federal budget but it's not $350 billion.

I also found this interesting:

He said U.S. farmers were becoming less innovative and less prepared to adapt to world demand.

World demand? What does that mean?

[Blunderfromdownunder]

Yeah, but its the big corporate farms that appear to be getting the vast majority of the subsidies. Can there be corporate welfare trash?

[fleebag]

This Richardson brings up an delightful subject. The Northeast Dairy Compact. Jeffords from Vermont sold his soul to Daschle thinking Daschle would back him(Jeffords) in this Northeast Dairy Compact that expired on Sept. 30. Daschle didn't because Harkin from Iowa certainly doesn't like the NE.D.C. I'm not sure if S. D. has dairy farms or not but I believe Feingold,Wi.(?) another friend of Daschle's certainly not for the Northeast Dairy Compact. Jeffords left holding the udder,ah bag,so to speak. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!

[Blunderfromdownunder]

Sorry, but I have no idea what issue you are tryig to address, since I never said corporations pay no tax. Have you been smoking something nasty?

[donozark]

I fail to understand why you defend an article in which even the TITLE is misleading! Here is the name of the bill being considered:Agriculture, Conservation and Rural Enhancement Act of 2001. Are subsidies a part? Yes. But NOT the entire bill! Such things as "wetlands reclamation,etc." are part of this proposed bill along with grants to universities and 101 other programs.

In America, budget is argued over and voted on annually. Not every ten years. Projectionsare made, true, but when have they ever been valid? Ever heard of the S&L crisis? Projected to cost $15 billion. Then $25. Then $100 and $300,etc.

All authors don't front-load their stories. Only those with an agenda. Obviously this one does, since even the title is misleading.

Who said anything about boycotting anybody? I simply said I could live without wool and kiwis.

You continue to claim ALL US farmers are in need of subsidies. I have tried to explain to you that 60% of US farmers receive NOTHING in the way of subsidies. What part of THAT do you not understand? And of the 40% of US farmers that do? I have already explained that they are corporate farmers and wealthy individuals, NOT MA&PA types!

Again, please read S1731 and the analysis of same at heritage.org. You are completely off base in your assumptions re:American farmers. Perhaps a visit would do you some good. Although you seem like someone who would enjoy Cuba more. Now THERE is a real good socialist farmer! Castro managed to sterilize his breeding stock of cattle. All but destroy the tobacco crop and disrupt virtually all methods of production.

You are partially correct in stating the wealthy get subsidies, but then you include ALL farmers and that is not so. Check the recipients of this largess, ADM, Chevron, a dozen or so Congressmen. Not exactly "salt of the earth" people as Steinbeck would say. But ALL American farmers? Foolishnes!

[farmfriend]

. Jeffords from Vermont sold his soul to Daschle

The irony in this whole compact thing is that Jefford's sister-in-law is the Legislative Director for the Vermont State Grange.