Devised during the Great Depression, the Farm Bill was designed to give American farmers a safety net when the market bottomed out.
Today's Farm Bill gives out commodity subsidies, or large government payments made to producers of a small number of crops. Most American farmers get little or nothing. Meanwhile, these subsidies don't alleviate the biggest problems in rural communities: lack of medical services, poor schools, population loss, and environmental degradation.
While the Farm Bill falls short in the US, it also hurts farmers in developing countries. By encouraging the overproduction of crops such as cotton and rice, commodity subsidies create a glut that drives down world prices, undermining the livelihoods of millions of small farmers around the world. This situation is not only unfair; it violates international rules set by the World Trade Organization.
The money we're spending on these misguided subsidies should be redirected to the programs that help the people most in need. More money should go to providing Internet access for rural communities, food stamps for poor families, conservation programs that protect rivers and streams, and the research and development of renewable sources of energy.
The time is right and the momentum is growing. Ask Congress to revamp the Farm Bill. Let's put our tax money to work for farmers, families, and our future.
