$143 billion. That's the amount the American public has paid to failing agriculture industries in the United States. How much growth has resulted from this investment? $0.
That's right, none. Agricultural economic growth has been seen out of this at all in the last 10 years. American tax dollars have given $143 billion in help to US farmers, and yet it takes Ben and Jerry to save small farms. This is just sad.
Why are farm subsidies so bad? It's because no matter how the agricultural season turns out, the government loses. Shortages on the crops? The federal government loses as farms across the nation default on loans. Surpluses in crops? The federal government loses as well. How? It's because the farmers are afraid of inflation, and have all crops set at an "ideal" 1929 adjusted price. Guess what the US government has to do? It has to buy up all of the surplus so the price stays the same. Either way, we lose.
That's $143 billion wasted for nothing. There must be something done. I propose an immediate end to all farm subsidies now and the removal of "ideal" price. We can't afford to waste $143 billion again.
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funding for farms isn't primarily meant to generate growth but to stop farms from shutting down. They should never be discontinued.
In 1930 there were 6,000,000 farms and 25% of the US population lived on farms. On the last census, there were only 157,000 farms left and only 2% of the population lived on farms.
Even with government subsidies, these farms are disappearing fast.
In view of these staggering figures I think that the program should stay in place as long as it is managed properly.
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