Criticism rains on Obama's farm subsidy cut idea

[Dan J 277]

Why should we subsidize farmers who can't profitably produce their products? If another country can produce the same food for less money, why shouldn't we just buy from them? Isn't that the whole idea of free trade?

It seems to me, the only really reason we subsidize small farms is because of the sorta romanticized ideal of American life they represent.

great thinking, i'm sure that would work real well when some country cuts off our food supply in order to strong arm us.

I'm sure you could probably then give your business to another country then. Or *gasp* pay more for it at home. The magic of trade.

If that did happen, it would make prices go up and make it more profitable to make food here. We are already getting strong armed by the farming lobby to support unsustainable things like corn based ethanol, or being forced to put up with corn syrup instead of sugar in most of the food products.

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

Why should we subsidize farmers who can't profitably produce their products? If another country can produce the same food for less money, why shouldn't we just buy from them? Isn't that the whole idea of free trade?

It seems to me, the only really reason we subsidize small farms is because of the sorta romanticized ideal of American life they represent.

great thinking, i'm sure that would work real well when some country cuts off our food supply in order to strong arm us.

I'm sure you could probably then give your business to another country then. Or *gasp* pay more for it at home. The magic of trade.

it would be wiser to keep the money in country. trade shouldn't compromise a county's national security.

[HAL 9000 96]

Why should we subsidize farmers who can't profitably produce their products? If another country can produce the same food for less money, why shouldn't we just buy from them? Isn't that the whole idea of free trade?

It seems to me, the only really reason we subsidize small farms is because of the sorta romanticized ideal of American life they represent.

great thinking, i'm sure that would work real well when some country cuts off our food supply in order to strong arm us.

I'm sure you could probably then give your business to another country then. Or *gasp* pay more for it at home. The magic of trade.

If that did happen, it would make prices go up and make it more profitable to make food here. We are already getting strong armed by the farming lobby to support unsustainable things like corn based ethanol, or being forced to put up with corn syrup instead of sugar in most of the food products.

Yes we are. So that makes me think about the real target of this bit of legislation.

Why should we subsidize farmers who can't profitably produce their products? If another country can produce the same food for less money, why shouldn't we just buy from them? Isn't that the whole idea of free trade?

It seems to me, the only really reason we subsidize small farms is because of the sorta romanticized ideal of American life they represent.

great thinking, i'm sure that would work real well when some country cuts off our food supply in order to strong arm us.

I'm sure you could probably then give your business to another country then. Or *gasp* pay more for it at home. The magic of trade.

it would be wiser to keep the money in country. trade shouldn't compromise a county's national security.

Foreign genetic engineers are feverishly working on growing crops that only target to poison Americans.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The GOP is all about cutting pork. Time to get serious, guys. Large business welfare here that should have been cut a long, long time ago - in fact, it should have never been allowed in the first place. Where's the self-reliance that the heartland always cries for?

you do like to eat, don't you? american farmers have been under the gun for quite a while due to imports.

A "farmer" that nets 500K a year doesn't need taxpayer funded welfare.

Obama proposed phasing-out direct payments to farmers with sales of more than $500,000 a year,

Go take an accounting course so you can understand this article

revenue minus expense equals net income. " Sales" ....... not the same as net income.

Go and take a chill pill, my friend. The target of this welfare phase-out are large agri-businesses not your mom-and-pop farm.

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

Why should we subsidize farmers who can't profitably produce their products? If another country can produce the same food for less money, why shouldn't we just buy from them? Isn't that the whole idea of free trade?

It seems to me, the only really reason we subsidize small farms is because of the sorta romanticized ideal of American life they represent.

great thinking, i'm sure that would work real well when some country cuts off our food supply in order to strong arm us.

I'm sure you could probably then give your business to another country then. Or *gasp* pay more for it at home. The magic of trade.

it would be wiser to keep the money in country. trade shouldn't compromise a county's national security.

Foreign genetic engineers are feverishly working on growing crops that only target to poison Americans.

didn't say that, are you taking a course in wild tangents?

surely you realize that when countries control the food supply to another country, they are in a position to dictate.

[natty bumppo 297]

Why should we subsidize farmers who can't profitably produce their products? If another country can produce the same food for less money, why shouldn't we just buy from them? Isn't that the whole idea of free trade?

It seems to me, the only really reason we subsidize small farms is because of the sorta romanticized ideal of American life they represent.

great thinking, i'm sure that would work real well when some country cuts off our food supply in order to strong arm us.

I'm sure you could probably then give your business to another country then. Or *gasp* pay more for it at home. The magic of trade.

If that did happen, it would make prices go up and make it more profitable to make food here. We are already getting strong armed by the farming lobby to support unsustainable things like corn based ethanol, or being forced to put up with corn syrup instead of sugar in most of the food products.

Farms become un-profitable and what usually happens to the land ... it gets sold and usually turns into mini farms and/or homes. How you propose to plow the homes back into fields?

[HAL 9000 96]

Why should we subsidize farmers who can't profitably produce their products? If another country can produce the same food for less money, why shouldn't we just buy from them? Isn't that the whole idea of free trade?

It seems to me, the only really reason we subsidize small farms is because of the sorta romanticized ideal of American life they represent.

great thinking, i'm sure that would work real well when some country cuts off our food supply in order to strong arm us.

I'm sure you could probably then give your business to another country then. Or *gasp* pay more for it at home. The magic of trade.

it would be wiser to keep the money in country. trade shouldn't compromise a county's national security.

Foreign genetic engineers are feverishly working on growing crops that only target to poison Americans.

didn't say that, are you taking a course in wild tangents?

surely you realize that when countries control the food supply to another country, they are in a position to dictate.

Shhhhh! Just playing on your national security bit since this thread is about something else.

Not that Americans could stand to slim down a little, but that is another thread for another time and actually quite unrelated to our baby tangent being born here.

I do apologize as well... I must go subsidize some viral titers among some cells that will help me amplify the viral population.

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

Why should we subsidize farmers who can't profitably produce their products? If another country can produce the same food for less money, why shouldn't we just buy from them? Isn't that the whole idea of free trade?

It seems to me, the only really reason we subsidize small farms is because of the sorta romanticized ideal of American life they represent.

great thinking, i'm sure that would work real well when some country cuts off our food supply in order to strong arm us.

I'm sure you could probably then give your business to another country then. Or *gasp* pay more for it at home. The magic of trade.

it would be wiser to keep the money in country. trade shouldn't compromise a county's national security.

Foreign genetic engineers are feverishly working on growing crops that only target to poison Americans.

didn't say that, are you taking a course in wild tangents?

surely you realize that when countries control the food supply to another country, they are in a position to dictate.

Shhhhh! Just playing on your national security bit since this thread is about something else.

Not that Americans could stand to slim down a little, but that is another thread for another time and actually quite unrelated to our baby tangent being born here.

I do apologize as well... I must go subsidize some viral titers among some cells that will help me amplify the viral population.

so do you or do you not acknowledge there is an inherent danger to being dependent on other countries for food?

[Peikko 1,575]

Perhaps it's time to pay properly for the food we eat instead of expecting something for nothing?

[Dan J 277]

Why should we subsidize farmers who can't profitably produce their products? If another country can produce the same food for less money, why shouldn't we just buy from them? Isn't that the whole idea of free trade?

It seems to me, the only really reason we subsidize small farms is because of the sorta romanticized ideal of American life they represent.

great thinking, i'm sure that would work real well when some country cuts off our food supply in order to strong arm us.

I'm sure you could probably then give your business to another country then. Or *gasp* pay more for it at home. The magic of trade.

If that did happen, it would make prices go up and make it more profitable to make food here. We are already getting strong armed by the farming lobby to support unsustainable things like corn based ethanol, or being forced to put up with corn syrup instead of sugar in most of the food products.

Farms become un-profitable and what usually happens to the land ... it gets sold and usually turns into mini farms and/or homes. How you propose to plow the homes back into fields?

If the land becomes more valuable as farm land, then it will be profitable to buy it and clear it of any structures. Right now most land is much more valuable for housing, since we have more farm land than we need. The markets will determine the price.

[Peikko 1,575]

I am a great believer in eat a lot less of something that is high quality than eat a lot of ####### - but hey, eat what you like. Chemicals make great food

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

Perhaps it's time to pay properly for the food we eat instead of expecting something for nothing?

who is expecting something for nothing?

If the land becomes more valuable as farm land, then it will be profitable to buy it and clear it of any structures. Right now most land is much more valuable for housing, since we have more farm land than we need. The markets will determine the price.

not going to happen. it's a loss of tax revenue for the local government. farm land has a far lower tax rate.

[natty bumppo 297]

Why should we subsidize farmers who can't profitably produce their products? If another country can produce the same food for less money, why shouldn't we just buy from them? Isn't that the whole idea of free trade?

It seems to me, the only really reason we subsidize small farms is because of the sorta romanticized ideal of American life they represent.

great thinking, i'm sure that would work real well when some country cuts off our food supply in order to strong arm us.

I'm sure you could probably then give your business to another country then. Or *gasp* pay more for it at home. The magic of trade.

If that did happen, it would make prices go up and make it more profitable to make food here. We are already getting strong armed by the farming lobby to support unsustainable things like corn based ethanol, or being forced to put up with corn syrup instead of sugar in most of the food products.

Farms become un-profitable and what usually happens to the land ... it gets sold and usually turns into mini farms and/or homes. How you propose to plow the homes back into fields?

If the land becomes more valuable as farm land, then it will be profitable to buy it and clear it of any structures. Right now most land is much more valuable for housing, since we have more farm land than we need. The markets will determine the price.

land has a finite supply and there is an exploding population. when was the last time you heard of a housing development being plowed under to plant crops?

[Dan J 277]

Why should we subsidize farmers who can't profitably produce their products? If another country can produce the same food for less money, why shouldn't we just buy from them? Isn't that the whole idea of free trade?

It seems to me, the only really reason we subsidize small farms is because of the sorta romanticized ideal of American life they represent.

great thinking, i'm sure that would work real well when some country cuts off our food supply in order to strong arm us.

I'm sure you could probably then give your business to another country then. Or *gasp* pay more for it at home. The magic of trade.

If that did happen, it would make prices go up and make it more profitable to make food here. We are already getting strong armed by the farming lobby to support unsustainable things like corn based ethanol, or being forced to put up with corn syrup instead of sugar in most of the food products.

Farms become un-profitable and what usually happens to the land ... it gets sold and usually turns into mini farms and/or homes. How you propose to plow the homes back into fields?

If the land becomes more valuable as farm land, then it will be profitable to buy it and clear it of any structures. Right now most land is much more valuable for housing, since we have more farm land than we need. The markets will determine the price.

land has a finite supply and there is an exploding population. when was the last time you heard of a housing development being plowed under to plant crops?

The real issue you are eluding at has nothing to do with farming, but population growth. Its still going to be a problem no matter what you do with land.

[Dan J 277]

Perhaps it's time to pay properly for the food we eat instead of expecting something for nothing?

who is expecting something for nothing?

If the land becomes more valuable as farm land, then it will be profitable to buy it and clear it of any structures. Right now most land is much more valuable for housing, since we have more farm land than we need. The markets will determine the price.

not going to happen. it's a loss of tax revenue for the local government. farm land has a far lower tax rate.

Land and how its used has a price. We have a huge oversupply of farming land, which keeps prices low for farm land. Farm land near cities gets converted as its often more valuable with housing. When we reduce the oversupply of farming land down to what we actually need, then the value of land for farming will go up.