President Bush is in talks with Agriculture Secretary Ed Shafer over the Farm Bill, a five-year, $285 billion bill currently being considered by Congress. Bush disagrees with the proposed new $3.8 billion farm disaster program as well as new perks for the sugar industry included in the legislation. He also objects to the $10 billion in extra spending and the bill would allow over the measure’s $560 billion, 10-year baseline. Lawmakers aren't expecting Bush to till up support for the bill.
Should a presidential veto be on the shopping list, supporters in Congress have a plan to override and save the increases in food aid to poor Americans. The bill also proposes a $10.3 billion increase for food stamps and other nutrition programs — lawmakers think these programs could be piggybacked onto other, must-pass legislation.
How does a law become a grocery bill? In Time magazine this week, a teeny tiny item showed just how the bill could lower food prices and grocery costs for families. To see how, read more.
- Disaster Relief: The very $3.8 billion program Bush objects to could help farmers hit by weather hurdles helping them get back on their feet and ensuring a steady supply to market.
- Ethanol Subsidy Cuts: The bill aims to cut tax credits and subsidies more efficient means of biofuel production like using wood and grasses.
- Food Stamps: The bill is set to increase the minimum food-stamp allowance, which has been set at $10 since 1977.
- Emergency Food Assistance: Programs like food banks and pantries could get up to $100 million more in funding, increasing the number of people they can help.
Bush has said the bill is "bloated" and disagrees with payouts to multimillionaire farmers that actually do little to stem food costs. He said, "Congress can reform our farm programs — and should — by passing a fiscally responsible bill that treats our farmers fairly and does not impose new burdens on American taxpayers."
Does the problem lie in combining nutrition and hunger plans in with farm payouts? In an era where family farms are on the decline, are farm subsidies as needed? Is it prudent to protect our food supply or is our farm policy full of weeds?
Faith
Farm bills have been a mess for years - so much is stuffed into them no ordinary human can sort them out. Raising the food stamp allowance after 31 years sounds very reasonable, so does disaster relief and boosting food banks - but it does seem strange to put them all in a farm bill. It sounds good to say that Bush disagrees with payouts to multimillionaire farmers but if those 'farmers' lost their subsidies, you know Congress would find another way to ease their economic pain.
1Stephley, your comments are, as usual very smart and wholly agreeable. Like a walk through a sun drenched park with John Maynard Keynes (without the incessant groping) or screaming wildly down the log flume with Milton Friedman. And afterwards we'd all get a sundae and dream of a free market of the soul.
What the hell is wrong with me today?
2I don't know, but you're scaring me.
3I don't know what you just said Rac, but you made me smile.
4O.K. a break from the nuts
5Bill sounds good to me
6At least they aren't personally attacking YOU hypno!
7I'm very confused now.
8Sorry I'm talking about the Gore thread. There is a link to it from Yahoo. Hypno and I were there, but we had to escape the crazies that came to comment.
9That's funny, I had an image of the two of you coming in and flopping on a sofa with big sighs.
10I knew Gore would be a dangerous topic
You were talking of this on the other thread I stumbled (from my drunkeness :drink: )onto. I have to go there now.
11Here you go harts....
12hee hee thank you Harmony!
13I look so dorky when I mess them up!
14That Gore thread was like getting punched in the face repeatedly.
15Gosh! Who could punch a raccoon? They are little theives but they are very cute ones.
16I am a raccoon. I am also a man. I am a Mancoon.
17It cracks me up reading your comments with that little face peering at me.
18I like RaccMan better. It sounds more studly.
19Farm subsidies mainly help giant corporate farms get more money. We encourage them to be inefficient. They're making tons of money off of corn based ethanol. If the goal is to assist normal people with the cost of food then increase funding to food banks or food stamps don't give it to the giant farms. The small struggling farmer is a myth.
20I think we need to get back to the concept of paying a farmer for only what he reaps. That way, he has to strive to be more effecient. The smaller farmers can make as much as larger farmers, and with all the food shortages around the world, the demand is high enough that everyone should do well.
21Dave, the large farmers are multi-nationals like ConAgra and they don't like competing with little farmers which is why they drove them out of business. They've even patented seeds so that farmers HAVE to buy them and can't trade among themselves any more.
22I was on the site earlier and noticed how many commenters there were on the Gore thread. And then I read them ... it was like a horror movie. Those people were insane. Why did that happen? Why that just one thread?
23Yahoo linked to the thread...so everyone and their mother was on there.
24"Congress can reform our farm programs — and should — by passing a fiscally responsible bill that treats our farmers fairly and does not impose new burdens on American taxpayers."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now there's a new concept. Congress not giving money to the big agribusiness lobbyists who donate to Congressmen and women. Hmmmm.
If they want o spend money, give it to the Family Owned Farms (no matter the size) and NOT to Agribusinesses.
Rood Stamps are not Welfare, btw. They are a Farm Subsidy and that is why the legislation seems out of place to some. It's all about getting people to eat food so that the farmer can raise more and make more money.
Long Live Family Farms! They should receive the "offical" Government Farm Subsidy. (see "Ruh Roh" to explain "offical")
25That's FOOD STAMPS not Rood Stamps, although I've known quite a few "rude" Food Stamp recipients.
26How about we let the farmers do their jobs and grow what they want, instead of paying them not to grow? You know, like the Constitution intended it to be.
27I'm very late with this but...Multibillionaire farmers? Where do those people exsist?? I am a farmer and believe me when I tell you that just because food prices go up doesn't mean the farmers are getting that money. We get a set price for our product. When the prices go up as they have, we still get our set price. The extra money goes to the government and all the bozo's on wallstreet racking in the cash.
I'm sorry but it makes me angry when people think farming is a get rich job. It is not. Not only are we getting pennies for our product but OUR costs have gone up to produce. Not to mention it is a 24-7 job 365 days a year. My goats don't get a vacation, they have to be milked twice a day every day. Farmers don't get vacations or sick days.
When there are disasters in other countries the U.S. always sends aid. How come when there is disaster here (like a drought or flood to wipe out crops) there has to be a bill passed to get some help. For shame! The governement is the reason the food prices are so high. I'd sell you a gallon of milk for next to nothing if I didn't have to pay the government or if I didn't have to practically give it all away because of the prices they have set for me.
Whew ok I feel better now.
28"small struggling farmers are a myth"
Why don't you go ask one of the small struggling farmers about that. Please do a little research before you open your mouth and spew your filth.
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