Corn subsidies support terrorism

Ok not exactly... but they do promote world instability (Mexico, Nigeria), they promote diabetes and obesity in America, and most importantly, as noted below, they funnel your tax dollars and mine (the professional classes who aren't rich enough to dodge paying taxes) into the hands of rural Republican voters (aka the spawn of Satan). Check out this awesome article on the cost of farm subsidies.

Here's a letter I wrote to Sen. Patty Murray on the issue:

Dear Senator Murray:

I am writing to you in regards to this year's farm bill legislation. As I am sure you are well aware, The Washington Post has conducted an in-depth investigation of where farm subsidy dollars are going and how they hurt far more Americans than they help. This weekend, the New York Times magazine ran an article on the implications of the farm subsidies on the American diet and its impact on our neighbor Mexico.

Preserving our rural communities is a big challenge but also represents an amazing opportunity to change the agenda. The current farm bill promotes waste, obesity, graft, and vote-buying -- the redder a county, the more farm money it gets, almost 1:1. The biggest problem as I see it is that the subsidy formula is only based on quantity. The more corn you grow, the more money you get.

This leads to the US government subsidizing soda pop ("liquid corn"), inefficient corn ethanol, and dosing the ground with destructive chemicals, instead of healthy local produce and efficient cellulosic ethanol products using renewable and sustainable farming techniques. Not only that, through subsidies, farmers are able to sell their products for less than what they cost to grow, leading to gross price distortions that have worldwide impact.

Mexicans are going to work on farms, but because of our farm bills, they work here instead of in Mexico. Cotton-growing countries in Africa can't compete with our subsidized corn. Tortillas in Mexico have grown very expensive as corn-ethanol becomes a hot product. Of course I get a chuckle of the "free market" Republicans showing once again that free to them means my tax money is free for the taking to subsidize their constituents.

I understand that things are more complex than they seem, and that there are a lot of politics involved, but your are my favorite senator and representative in this state and I have faith and confidence that you will do the right thing, which is usually the harder thing -- because that's what you usually do.

4/25/2007 Sen. Murray's response:

Dear Mr. Shapero:

Thank you for your letter regarding federal commodity payments to farmers and the 2007 Farm Bill. It was good to hear from you.

As you may know, for over seventy years the federal government has dispensed farm support payments to American farmers. Through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Commodity Credit Corporation, certain farmers are eligible to receive financial payments for income support, disaster loss, and a number of conservation activities. Under the 2002 Farm Bill, funding for these payments is authorized through 2007. Reauthorization of these programs, as well as agricultural conservation initiatives, food stamp programs and a wide range of rural development, trade, research, farm credit and energy programs, will be considered during a 2007 Farm Bill.

The majority of these payments are in the form of commodity support, or income support that is dependent on market prices. Of approximately $16 billion dispensed to farmers annually, commodity support accounts for an overwhelming percentage of the funding. In 2002, for example, commodity support made up nearly 75% of all farm payments. This leaves a relatively small percentage of funding for disaster loss and conservation activities, two efforts that are critical to many farmers. Unfortunately, the majority of farmers in the greatest need of federal financial assistance do not benefit from these programs. It is estimated, for example, that 10% of all agricultural producers receive over 70% of commodity support payments. This 70% goes primarily to large farms and agribusinesses in just a handful of states, such as Texas, Nebraska, Iowa, and others located in the nation’s Corn Belt. Of the commodities produced, corn, cotton, soybeans, wheat, peanuts, and rice are those that are most heavily supported. Most American farmers – including most in our state – receive very little, if any, commodity support. In fact, fruit and vegetable farmers receive very little support from USDA.

The system has also had an adverse effect on important conservation and research programs. With USDA’s focus on commodity payments, little is left for conservation efforts that give farmers tools to manage difficult environmental and regulatory challenges. What we have seen is more funding going to a small number of farmers in the Midwest and fewer resources for Washington state farmers. Instead of funding vital research, marketing programs, and conservation efforts that would help our state, USDA continues to focus its resources only on a small percentage of farmers with commodity payments.

Small family farms are a dying breed, and it is important that we do all we can to ensure their survival. I have always been a staunch supporter of efforts to protect the smaller, independent farms that are so vital to our state, helping to secure research funding, federal disaster assistance, and trade adjustment assistance during difficult times. I have also advocated increased funding for important conservation programs that are beneficial to both agricultural producers and our environment. Despite current fiscal constraints, these efforts will continue to be a priority of mine. Please know that as the Senate addresses these issues, I will keep your thoughts in mind.

If you would like to learn more about my work in the Senate, please feel free to sign up for my updates at http://murray.senate.gov. Thank you again for writing, and please keep in touch.

Sincerely,


Patty Murray
United States Senator

P.S. I'd like to invite you to receive Patty Murray's Washington View, my weekly legislative update by e-mail. If you are interested in receiving my update, please sign up here: http://murray.senate.gov/updates.