Another Flawed Farm Bill
In November last year, I wrote the following: "According to the Environmental Working Group, the federal government issued more than $34 billion in federal commodity subsidies between 2003 and 2005. Of that, 66% or $23 billion went to 10% of American farmers.
"This corruption of Farm Bill subsidies has got to stop. The Farm Bill must serve real family farmers, not the rich, politically connected and must ensure that taxpayers' dollars are spent wisely, not lining the pockets of super wealthy farmers and corporate agribusiness.
"Those are just some of the issues addressed in the Food and Farm Bill of Rights, a bill sponsored by US Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). As Rep. Blumenauer points out, 'Sixty percent of America's farmers and ranchers get no support while a great bulk of subsidies and federal support go directly to big special-interest corporations. It's even worse for people who grow most of our food: fruits, vegetables, and row crops are largely bypassed in favor of lavish subsidies for a few commodities. Here we have an opportunity to craft a policy that is fair to all farmers.' "
Then in December, I wrote this, "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."
Well, its SOS with the current farm bill, as usual, according to Christopher D. Cook at CommonDreams.org who writes:
"Congress passes its share of boondoggles, but there’s a real doozy on the docket April 18. If the nearly $300 billion Farm Bill passes in its current form, the American public will pay billions of dollars to large-scale farmers and food corporations for the following end results: an oversupply of unhealthful junk food that worsens our national obesity epidemic; severe depletion of soil and air through overuse of pesticides and destructive farming practices; and the hastened removal of small farms from the land, eroding the spirit and finances of rural communities across the U.S.
"To be sure, there are positive elements in the bill, which gets revisited every five years. There’s funding for conservation and nutrition programs, even small bits (in the $5 million range) for innovative community food security projects that expand markets for small farmers while making food accessible to poor inner-city residents. But the bill’s Commodity Title erases all that - using tax dollars of up to $20 billion a year to finance big growers’ production of corn, wheat, and other commodities that are used as ingredients in everything from cooking oil, to sweeteners and fattening agents in processed foods, to livestock feed and auto fuel.
"By upholding subsidies for big agriculture, Congress is not only wasting taxpayer dollars at a time of soaring crop and food prices; more fundamentally, it’s undermining vital efforts to make our food supply more healthful and sustainable, both environmentally and economically.
"The public’s money ought to finance sustainability in its truest sense - supporting farms and food programs that sustain local economies, our health, and the future of farmlands, instead of agribusiness and food corporations that plumb the land and these communities for short-term profit. As Congress lurches toward destructive old policies, now is the time to cast our vote for a new path the next time around."
Even though this is a so called Democratic majority Congress in the 21st century, Democratic Congressional and Senate leadership more often than not has shown that it is mired in a damaging Republican past, trapped by a seemingly permanent minority mentality, and constantly caving to Republicans, Bush Democrats and their destructive policies, in this case subsidizing unsustainable farming by corporate agribusiness gazillionaires.
"This corruption of Farm Bill subsidies has got to stop. The Farm Bill must serve real family farmers, not the rich, politically connected and must ensure that taxpayers' dollars are spent wisely, not lining the pockets of super wealthy farmers and corporate agribusiness.
"Those are just some of the issues addressed in the Food and Farm Bill of Rights, a bill sponsored by US Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). As Rep. Blumenauer points out, 'Sixty percent of America's farmers and ranchers get no support while a great bulk of subsidies and federal support go directly to big special-interest corporations. It's even worse for people who grow most of our food: fruits, vegetables, and row crops are largely bypassed in favor of lavish subsidies for a few commodities. Here we have an opportunity to craft a policy that is fair to all farmers.' "
Then in December, I wrote this, "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."
Well, its SOS with the current farm bill, as usual, according to Christopher D. Cook at CommonDreams.org who writes:
"Congress passes its share of boondoggles, but there’s a real doozy on the docket April 18. If the nearly $300 billion Farm Bill passes in its current form, the American public will pay billions of dollars to large-scale farmers and food corporations for the following end results: an oversupply of unhealthful junk food that worsens our national obesity epidemic; severe depletion of soil and air through overuse of pesticides and destructive farming practices; and the hastened removal of small farms from the land, eroding the spirit and finances of rural communities across the U.S.
"To be sure, there are positive elements in the bill, which gets revisited every five years. There’s funding for conservation and nutrition programs, even small bits (in the $5 million range) for innovative community food security projects that expand markets for small farmers while making food accessible to poor inner-city residents. But the bill’s Commodity Title erases all that - using tax dollars of up to $20 billion a year to finance big growers’ production of corn, wheat, and other commodities that are used as ingredients in everything from cooking oil, to sweeteners and fattening agents in processed foods, to livestock feed and auto fuel.
"By upholding subsidies for big agriculture, Congress is not only wasting taxpayer dollars at a time of soaring crop and food prices; more fundamentally, it’s undermining vital efforts to make our food supply more healthful and sustainable, both environmentally and economically.
"The public’s money ought to finance sustainability in its truest sense - supporting farms and food programs that sustain local economies, our health, and the future of farmlands, instead of agribusiness and food corporations that plumb the land and these communities for short-term profit. As Congress lurches toward destructive old policies, now is the time to cast our vote for a new path the next time around."
Even though this is a so called Democratic majority Congress in the 21st century, Democratic Congressional and Senate leadership more often than not has shown that it is mired in a damaging Republican past, trapped by a seemingly permanent minority mentality, and constantly caving to Republicans, Bush Democrats and their destructive policies, in this case subsidizing unsustainable farming by corporate agribusiness gazillionaires.
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