What is wrong with the farm bill

The Farm Bill is legislation appearing about once every five years determining which crops will be subsidized to what level, how much money will be allocated to the food stamp program, and many other important issues. Traditionally, the Farm Bill has faded into the background of politics, with no one paying attention. With obesity and diabetes reaching epidemic status and grocery bills steadily increasing (along with Americans' waistlines), attention is finally starting to turn to this farm bill.

So what is being subsidized? Corn, wheat, rice, soybeans and cotton for a start. In fact, fresh fruits and vegetables are referred to in the bill as "specialty crops" and receive only $2 billion of the proposed $288 billion dollar Farm Bill.

In the summer of 2007, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed off on a Farm Bill that would continue to subsidize 'commodity' crops. Major subsidies of corn are a huge reason that high fructose corn syrup is appearing in almost every processed food product. Although soy can be used as a healthy alternative to meat products, its current main use is to feed livestock on feedlots. This method of livestock rearing accounts for the majority of waste that is trickling into water and back to the animals (and thus the final meat product).

Delving into the Farm Bill's global impact, our surplus commodity crops are being exported throughout the world and influencing the global economic stage. Many rural farmers from places such as Mexico have been put out of work from being unable to compete with the US' subsized corn prices. The Nigerian cotton market has been disrupted by cheap and subsidized American cotton. These displaced agricultural workers have migrated as illegal immigrants to more wealthy countries in many cases.

Further at stake are environmental concerns related to farming issues & conservation programs, school lunch and breakfast programs, 'the food stamp' program, renewable energy issues, who is elegible for farming subsidies and much more. It is truly amazing that a bill impacting so many hot topics is being largely overlooked!

The Farm Bill is lengthy, tedious, and more than just a little difficult to digest! Below you will find some excellent articles providing more information and background on this subject. Additionally provided are online "action centers" where you can make your voice heard on this important topic.

• Nearly $300 billion tax-payer dollars are at stake in the 2007 - 2008 Food Bill.
• The 2007-2008 Farm Bill will cost about $1000 dollars per person in the US and about $2300 per US taxpayer.
• In 2005, the commodity crop of corn received $9.4 billion dollars in subsidies, nearly an equal amount rewarded to all other crops combined.
• Since the 1970s, corn production has more than doubled.
• Refined corn accounts for the majority of calories and carbohydrates in processed foods.

• High fructose corn syrup is the most common caloric sweetener in use in the US today.
• Corn meal is often used to fatten factory-raised livestock.

• Soybean oil accounts for more than 75% of fat in processed foods and is hydrogenated to produce trans-fats. These trans-fats increase processed food's shelf life.

• The price of fruits and vegetables at the supermarket increased by 40% between 1985 and 2000.
• The past five years have seen $95 billion spent on surplus commodity crops and just 1/10 of 1% of the farm bill budget spent on organic & sustainable agriculture.
• Senators Chuck Grassley and Byron Dorgan are expected to introduce an amendment freeing up an estimated $1 million dollars: they are proposing the introduction of a $250,000 cap on payments to any one farmer.
• Senator Frank Lautenberg's "Fresh Act" would liberate approximately $20 billion dollars by completely doing away with the subsidy act and only paying commodity farmers if their farming income dropped by more than 15% due to inclement weather or price collapse.