farm subsidies
Is it wrong of me to think that government farm subsidies for large farms with sales of over 500k is a wrong thing? I mean really...yesterday I read about Obama's plan to cut farm subsidies in his new budget. And I thought thats great! It will cut the large monocrop producers and encourage small family farmers to be more competitive in the market.
And then I read about how pissed it is making the large farmers.
I think I read that there are something like 150000 large farms with sales over 500k. How many smaller farms are there compared to that? Shouldn't those be the ones we are supporting with our taxpayer funded subsidises...the ones that don't make a ton of money?
I was at the farmers market here a few weeks ago and I overheard some tourist complaining about how the local produce is not as cheap as what is at the grocery store. How can that be? I mean, the grocery stores have to airlift or boat ship all produce 4000 miles in order to get it here...where as the local guys drive 10 miles and set up their stands. Does that mean that our local guys are greedy? All local farmers are greedy! that is why they overcharge you at your local farmers market!
Really!
Its not about how we the taxpayer spend 8 billion dollars a year to subsidize large scale farms so that they can mass produce crappy food that you can get at you local safeway for 49 cents a pound.
I mean if I had a restaurant that was grossing over 500k a year...I might be doing well off and not need the government restaurant subsidy money. Oh wait there isn't any such thing.
More on this issue here: Switching Subsidies
And then I read about how pissed it is making the large farmers.
I think I read that there are something like 150000 large farms with sales over 500k. How many smaller farms are there compared to that? Shouldn't those be the ones we are supporting with our taxpayer funded subsidises...the ones that don't make a ton of money?
I was at the farmers market here a few weeks ago and I overheard some tourist complaining about how the local produce is not as cheap as what is at the grocery store. How can that be? I mean, the grocery stores have to airlift or boat ship all produce 4000 miles in order to get it here...where as the local guys drive 10 miles and set up their stands. Does that mean that our local guys are greedy? All local farmers are greedy! that is why they overcharge you at your local farmers market!
Really!
Its not about how we the taxpayer spend 8 billion dollars a year to subsidize large scale farms so that they can mass produce crappy food that you can get at you local safeway for 49 cents a pound.
I mean if I had a restaurant that was grossing over 500k a year...I might be doing well off and not need the government restaurant subsidy money. Oh wait there isn't any such thing.
More on this issue here: Switching Subsidies
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