Yes
Zippy Duvall, president, Georgia Farm Bureau
Americans enjoy the safest, most diverse and affordable food supply of any nation in recorded history. America’s enviable food supply is the result of the hard work of our farmers, our nation’s efficient agricultural infrastructure and our federal farmpolicy. Unlike businesses, farmers cannot set the price they receive for their crops.
History is full of examples where severe market fluctuations forced farmers out of business. Government farm programs are designed to level wide market swings so farmers have a better chance to survive the extremes. Congress has taken steps in recent years to prevent abuse of farm programs while ensuring a safety net for farm families. The United States should continue farm programs because our nation’s ability to produce its own food is essential to our national security. Simply put, if you don’t like depending on other countries for oil, how do you think you would like depending on them for food?
No
Brian Riedl, Grover M. Hermann Fellow in Federal Budgetary Affairs, The Heritage Foundation
Farm subsidies are outdated, unnecessary and unaffordable. Some suggest the farm economy cannot function without subsidies. However, nearly all subsidies go to growers of just five crops: wheat, cotton, corn, soybeans and rice. By contrast, fruit, vegetable, livestock and poultry operations receive nearly nothing, yet produce two-thirds of the farm economy, with stable prices and healthy incomes.
Why can’t the Big Five crops function in the same free market? Others assert that subsidies alleviate farmer poverty. Setting aside the Norman Rockwell imagery, farm subsidies are America’s largest corporate welfare program. Congress targets most subsidies toward large commercial farmers, who report an average annual income of about $200,000 --- well exceeding the national average. The real problem is that farmers’ incomes fluctuate due to crop and weather unpredictability. This can be solved inexpensively with Farmer Savings Accounts and improved crop insurance. Government-wide spending reforms are needed to balance the budget. Farm subsidies deserve no special exemption.
Compiled and edited by Kathy Brister. Send topic suggestions to kathybrister@yahoo.com
