Farmer bailout in the works

[Baptismbyfire]

There is an article in Harper's Monthly about the state of farming in the Great Plains, and it explains how bleak the future of farming in the Great Plains really is. There are several reasons why, but one that stands out the most is the depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer by the year 2030, which means farmers will no longer have sufficient amount of water to grow their crops.

 

[BoomerD]

That's fighting a battle in a war that was lost thirty years ago. The family farm pretty much doesn't exist anymore, especially once you exclude hobby farmers and fairly fringe activities. Nearly anything left that could remotely be classified as a family farm these days is really a small business with (probably temporary) employees, etc.

That said there are a lot of votes associated with ag subsidies, in addition to giving the appearance of supporting true American values, so don't expect either party to stop stuffing that hog feeder with taxpayer bucks anytime in your lifetime. Not even the teabaggers-I dare say not even Saint Paul-will make a real effort to cut this.

Maybe in some parts of the country this is true, but where I live in NorCal, I'm surrounded by family-owned farms. Primarily almond, walnut, and peach orchards, and dairy farms, but also melons, tomatoes, and cattle ranches.
A good percentage of these farmers also work "outside jobs" to help make ends meet because farming is an expensive business to be in...especially for the "little guy."
A family farm being categorized as a "small business" sounds accurate. That's what they SHOULD be called because that's what they are.

I also have family in Iowa who are corn and soybean farmers. Still "family-owned farms," although they own anywhere from several hundred acres to several thousand acres...and yes, they hire workers to do the jobs that need doing.
I agree with modelworks that farming is changing because, in part, the kids no longer want to be farmers...that's been a challenge for family farms for a long time...and will probably never change.
"How 'ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm
After they've seen Paree? "

 

[marincounty]

You didn't mention that those specialty crops grown in California, like almonds, walnuts, peaches, etc.. are not eligible for the price support and other programs.
The bulk of the money goes to mid-western farmers growing wheat and corn. It seems they enjoy free gov money too.

 

[BoomerD]

You didn't mention that those specialty crops grown in California, like almonds, walnuts, peaches, etc.. are not eligible for the price support and other programs.
The bulk of the money goes to mid-western farmers growing wheat and corn. It seems they enjoy free gov money too.

Yep...the red states LOVES them some gubmint welfare...

 

[Wreckem]

That isn't the current program. The current program requires the farmer plant the field, then if the farmer is unable to sell the crop the government buys the crop, it is like making a product when you know that someone buying it is guaranteed, it causes prices to be fixed because corporate buyers are not going to go much above what the government is offering, the program originated due to food shortages decades ago to increase farmers willingness to grow fields that were not in use. Most farmers during that time were not willing to spend the money to farm and have it fail without the government guaranteeing that if they grew it the government would buy it.

The program worked. There is now so much corn surplus that the silos can't hold it all, they pile it on the side of the fields in huge piles that stretch for miles.

If you really want to be outraged, read up on sugar subsidies where the US government allows slave labor like conditions to exist inside the USA, often with illegals from Honduras, in order to keep sugar prices stable and rewards companies like dixie with purchase contracts.

And by keeping price stable you mean, keeping prices artificially high. The articifial price of sugar causes Americans to overpay by over $3billion per year.

If there wasn't an artificial price floor, sugar would be cheaper than HFCS(and HFCS is highly subsidized).

Crop Insurance should still exist. Everything else, such as subsidies, price manipulation, etc should get axed.

 

[Wreckem]

Yep...the red states LOVES them some gubmint welfare...

Lets not forget cotton. Cotton is still one of the most heavily subsidized crops in the US. And it doesn't matter how much money you make, the Gov still cuts you a fat check merely because you are growing cotton.

Crop Insurance is one thing. Out right giving money away is another and should be completely done away with.

 

[Wreckem]

There is an article in Harper's Monthly about the state of farming in the Great Plains, and it explains how bleak the future of farming in the Great Plains really is. There are several reasons why, but one that stands out the most is the depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer by the year 2030, which means farmers will no longer have sufficient amount of water to grow their crops.

Funny thing is, if you ask farmers who use the ogallala they will tell you its bs.

My town, under authority and as instructed by the state of Texas is requiring farmers to install usage meters on all their irrigation equipment. They are all up in arms. Etc.They think water rights are absolute. In Texas they are more absolute than other states(only state that uses the capture theory), but they are wrong. The Govt, per SCofT and SCotUS can regulate property rights. Shared resources are open for govt regulation. There are already quite a few places that used to be able to tap the Ogallala that can no long can. It is shrinking but the farmers believe its bullshit.

 

[Slew Foot]

LOL, another corporate handout disguised as helping the common person.

 

[Jhhnn]

LOL, another corporate handout disguised as helping the common person.

Heh. After the crash of 1929, farm prices were so low that it wasn't worth the trouble to harvest & take crops to market, leading to the Grapes of Wrath scenario- food rotting in the fields while millions went hungry.

The so-called "Free Market" can have extremely undesirable side effects, but that doesn't matter to half baked ideologues, does it?

 

[DucatiMonster696]

You didn't mention that those specialty crops grown in California, like almonds, walnuts, peaches, etc.. are not eligible for the price support and other programs.
The bulk of the money goes to mid-western farmers growing wheat and corn. It seems they enjoy free gov money too.

Maybe so but California farmers still receive state subsidies for water usage (especially in the San Joaquin Valley) which causes them to plant crops that really aren't suited well for of the drier parts of the state.

 

[Darwin333]

And that corn is going to waste sitting in piles beside railways and silos because there is nowhere to put it, the government agrees to buy it if someone else doesn't and so they continue to buy it just to toss it aside.

WTF do you mean there is nowhere to put it? Airdrop the shit over africa or something if its just going to rot.

 

[DucatiMonster696]

WTF do you mean there is nowhere to put it? Airdrop the shit over africa or something if its just going to rot.

This creates more problems then you think will be solved.