Reforming the Farm Bill

From the Episcopal Public Policy Network:

Already this year, you've heard a lot from us about the U.S. farm bill – the legislation that governs U.S. agricultural and food policy – and the need for reforms that will strengthen rural communities and fight hunger at home and abroad. The House Agriculture Committee is giving final consideration to the bill this week, and – despite the advocacy of an unprecedented alliance of faith groups and antipoverty advocates around the country – all signs indicate that calls for farm-bill reform have fallen on deaf ears in the committee. This means that the cause of reform is now in the hands of the full House, and that it will be critical over the next few weeks for every member of the House to hear from constituents that the status quo is not good enough. It will also be critical to ask lawmakers to press House leaders to stand with the champions of reform.

Specifically, the farm bill should:

Reform the commodity-payment program so that our nation's farm policy helps U.S. farmers of modest means and does not distort commodity prices and supply in ways that make it harder for farmers in poor countries to feed their families; AND

Increase investments in food-stamp benefits, rural development, conservation programs, and international-food aid programs that encourage local food security. (For more information, click here.)

Click here to email your representative.

Posted by Jim Naughton on July 19, 2007 6:05 PM | |
Comments (1)

My grandpa was a farmer in North Arkansas. During the Great Depression, he was offered subsidies that would be paid if he refrained from growing certain crops. My grandpa declined the subsidies, but he also did not grow the crops. He was going to do what his country requested, regardless of the cost, but he was not about to profit from that.

I have no idea of the right answer here. I am simply passing along my grandpa's way of being, many decades ago, when one's choices directly determined the consequences.

Posted by Brie Dodson [TypeKey Profile Page] | July 20, 2007 5:04 AM

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