The Farm Bill

[X-farmerdan]

https://www.outdoorlife.com/5-things-sportsmen-need-to-know-about-2018-farm-bill

https://www.farmpolicyfacts.org/farm-policy-history/

I'm sure there's nothing more controversial than federal spending, for it or against it. The Farm Bill is the food and agricultural policy of the United States. We've had one since 1933. About every five years Congress debates the future of the Farm Bill, re-writes and/or reworks the current legislation. The current policy expires at the end September this year.

Its a, hopefully, civil debate about not only food and fiber, but also about conservation programs and spending levels and limits. The link above leads to a recent Outdoor Life article that does a great job explaining the impacts of the Farm Bill on conservation programs (which affects wildlife).

The second link leads to a summary explanation of The Farm Bill and it's history.

No matter your leanings, now is the time to make you opinions known to Congress.

 

[j-bird]

The main thing I know that the Farm Bill affects is CRP contracts and the like. The farm bill provides the funding to support CRP payments and programs. Many, many farmers will NOT set-aside these areas on their own without financial compensation. That land will still be taxed and thus the farmer will do whatever he can to recover any costs and or try to make money on that ground.....it's a business, not a charity organization. Without the support of the farm bill many of the CRP areas will be converted to row crops and the like and we will loose additional habitat for all sorts of wildlife. It may be a "FARM" bill, but it has a significant ripple affect on conservation.

 

[Baker]

Interesting reads. Can anything be more convoluted or complex than the farm bill? Certainly I don't understand even a fragment of it. From the crumbs I have picked up time to time I think there are parts I don't like at all. For example the whole ethanol thing. Though I can't say I understand those subsidies that well either. Just doesn't feel right. That said I'm sure there are parts that have enormous benefit.

Seems to me that the farm bill is one of those govt. programs that has grown so big, has so many vested interests, so many pork elements, etc. that it has become unmanageable and wasteful. Unfortunately I don't have a positive solution to offer.

I have elected never to take part of any govt. subsidized program of any sort on my farm. I don't want the govt telling me what I can/can't do with my land and am in a position to do so. That said I see the value in crp, wrp, whip, and the numerous acronym programs out there.

 

[lakngolf]

If it's govt it is wasteful and corrupt. Not sure of answer but I am for less govt spending across the board, and this is part of the board.
My dad farmed for years but shied away from subsidies because that meant control.

 

[Doe Shooter]

IMO,the little guy does not benefit from gov't programs a lot. I mean it's not make or break help. That said ,the big guys can reap huge amounts of cash, and max out's are circumvented by dividing the farm among family so they get multiple bites from the apple. I'm for cutting welfare, especially corporate and farm welfare. Let the free market sort it out.

 

[Mennoniteman]

I just returned yesterday from a trip to Nicaragua. I was always of the impression that our government is too big and wasteful, with too many regulations. But now I'm thinking I'm seeing a different picture. Big and wasteful, with too many regulations. sure seems to beat an ineffective, do nothing government like Nicaragua seems to have. A beautiful country with a nice climate and many resources, this could be one of the premier tourist destinations in the western hemisphere, but there is not much opportunity in Nicaragua, because the government barely functions, but if you build something nice they will probably take it away from you. And talking about USDA, NRCS soil conservation suddenly looks much more important. After this unique trip I'm still not exactly sure what to think. But I've enjoyed reading the comments.

 

[X-farmerdan]

Seems to me that the farm bill is one of those govt. programs that has grown so big, has so many vested interests, so many pork elements, etc. that it has become unmanageable and wasteful. Unfortunately I don't have a positive solution to offer.

Yes! As presented in a publically available .pdf format, the Farm Bill about to expire is 357 pages. The first Farm Bill was 32 pages!

 

[Baker]

I just returned yesterday from a trip to Nicaragua. I was always of the impression that our government is too big and wasteful, with too many regulations. But now I'm thinking I'm seeing a different picture. Big and wasteful, with too many regulations. sure seems to beat an ineffective, do nothing government like Nicaragua seems to have. A beautiful country with a nice climate and many resources, this could be one of the premier tourist destinations in the western hemisphere, but there is not much opportunity in Nicaragua, because the government barely functions, but if you build something nice they will probably take it away from you. And talking about USDA, NRCS soil conservation suddenly looks much more important. After this unique trip I'm still not exactly sure what to think. But I've enjoyed reading the comments.

Very insightful comments. I've traveled throughout Europe, Africa, South and central America, all over Canada, Mongolia, and China. I used to have manufacturing in Zurich and a wholly owned subsidiary in Montreal. I own property in Mexico. While I am concerned with many things about the U.S govt. I still find the United States of America the greatest place in the world with the best governing system I am familiar with. Is there room for improvement? Absolutely! Is govt bloated and inefficient. Certainly. Do we need improvement? Unarguably. But I'm not willing to exchange our governing system for any other I am familiar with. Lets just keep trying to drain the swamp and employing common sense solutions.

 

[dogghr]

IMO,the little guy does not benefit from gov't programs a lot. I mean it's not make or break help. That said ,the big guys can reap huge amounts of cash, and max out's are circumvented by dividing the farm among family so they get multiple bites from the apple. I'm for cutting welfare, especially corporate and farm welfare. Let the free market sort it out.

Well not exactly. The farmer who worked my place before me had a tobacco plot of maybe 1/4 ac. I assure you he made as much money from the royalties he received for NOT planting acres of tobacco as he did on the cattle he managed. In addition, plenty of guys around here get new feedlot fencing, ponds, greenhouses, etc at no or little cost especially nice for a small or part time farmer. My friend in Illinois insures a third of his crop each year which is govt subsidized. I have utmost respect for the farming community, but I doubt there is a group who uses taxpayer money in such large amounts. But its everywhere even to the beach houses that get blown away regularly by hurricanes that are subsidized by govt money. I don't like govt handouts for any longterm as it promotes addiction to laziness. I'm sure many that are in the farming business would greatly disagree with me.

 

[MarkDarvin]

It's rare government support really helps. Poor people are still poor, hungry people are still hungry, farmers seem to be broke but aren't GOING broke. Meanwhile every single thing they use in farming has exploded in price. So what have we really gained?

Conservation programs only push around land demand. Save a section here, another one gets ripped up somewhere else. Build some houses here, an old farmstead gets pushed over and plowed up there. There are some marginal gains in areas, but overall,. they're simply trying to squeeze jello.

 

[X-farmerdan]

In my life which continues over more decades than I care to count I've had lots of opportunity to think about the Farm Bill from the farm side, from the consumer side, and from the side of government that I cannot name. In my opinion and that's all I have - no evidence, no proof - the provisions of the Farm Bill provide as much or more benefit to our society as any other. Absent some form of government, we are left with anarchy. Is the Farm Bill perfect? Does this dress make me look fat? No, of course not! It's a balance thing. Maybe 60% - 70% is valuable. What remains is either pork or good ideas badly implemented. Is this any different than your farm or your business?

Some groups get more than their fair share while others don't. Commodity crops are the big winners. Livestock, speciality crops, and organic not so much. We can and should have a civil debate about those imbalances to the point of deciding if they should be part of national policy.

Here's what I think happens without some of the props provide by agriculture public policy. Think about this as a means to assure the financial industry of some stability in the agriculture sector. Without assurance of a reasonable expectation of loan repayment, there will be no shot, intermediate, or long term financing to grow food production. Without finance, farmers can't buy the factors of production. Supply goes down. Prices go up. The rest of the economy tanks because much more of income goes to put bread on the table.

Agricultural price stability is often cited as on of the 50 greatest accomplishments of federal policy. You might be able to pick at the exceptions, but the major conclusion is true. Think about food prices in third world countries if you have any doubt.

Countries without a stable supply of food are, well, unstable and unable to progress much beyond a subsistence economy. Pure speculation on my part. Take away food policy and maybe everything hums along like it was never there.

One of the top programs ever created was for soil stabilization. Think dust bowl and 1933. Without many of the soil conservation programs, mostly voluntary and publically funded, where would our still productive soils be today? In 1986 the Farm Bill tied highly erodible land and wetland conservation to program payments. If you wanted the latter you agreed to the former. Nobody argues about the billions of tons of soil saved from erosion, but, then, we only talk about the bad stuff, never stopping to consider the good.

Soil stabilization is on the top 50 list of the many inclined to generate such things.

Ethanol? Well....keep it in context. We were out to break the back of OPEC. The problem is OPEC's back was probably breaking then. Ethanol subsidies really disrupted the agricultural economy and land prices. Until then we had a food policy. Then we added fuel. Grain producers benefited, at least in the short run, while livestock producers suffered badly. Two for the good guys. One for the bad guys.

Good we do better? You betcha' And that should be the focus! Consider the mission. Fund it properly and set some goals. Reward the achievers and cut loose the losers.

-Preacher Dan!