Former President Jimmy Carter weighs in about the current debate on reforming the Farm Bill that has not been helping small farmers in the United States or alleviating the misery of poor people globally.

President Carter talks about cotton farmers but could be speaking about any small American farmer when he says, "It is embarrassing to note that, from 1995 to 2005, the richest 10 percent of cotton growers received more than 80 percent of total subsidies. The wealthiest 1 percent of American cotton farmers continues to receive over 25 percent of payouts for cotton, while more than half of America’s cotton farmers receive no subsidies at all."

He continues, "But Congress has a moral obligation to protect American agriculture with legislation that will serve our national interests, that will feed hungry people and that does not suppress the ability of the poor to work their way out of poverty."

Don't hold you're breath, Jimmy, expecting that fairness, equity and belief in human rights will win out. 

Just look at the current energy bill.  It includes a massive increase in biofuels.  Agribusiness is salivating at the thought of government monies flowing into their pockets.  Neither Congress, let alone the ADM's of the US are looking at the consequences of pushing biofuels.  Corporate agribusiness only sees the huge profits.

Even the Climate Change Convention in Bali seems to be giving only glancing attention to the biofuel question, which is unfortunate.  As the executive director of Friends of the Earth, states,  ‘’Biofuels have big implications for land rights, food security, biodiversity and even climate change,’’ he [Tony Juniper] added, echoing the statement that was released by the international office of FoE on the eve of the conference, which argued that ‘’biofuels must not be promoted as a solution to climate change.’’

The exact opposite of what the myopic Congress and greedy agribusiness are promoting. Their biofuel solution will be worse than the current problem: global warming by carbon gas emissions.

A Rockridge Institute article, "The Coming Biofuels Disaster" says,  "A glance at biofuels in the context of livability shows how woefully inadequate they are for solving it [a livable solutions to the problem]. In truth, they will make things worse."

Another article, "The Great Biofuel Hoax" which debunks the myths of biofuels like they're "clean and green," obviously hasn't been read by Congress or read and ignored in deference to lining the pockets of agribusiness donors.

So Congress with its Farm Bill and Energy Bill deliberately continues blindly down a dead end with terrible consequences for us all but great news for corporate polluters.