OFF Topic Re: Why are farmers singled out for welfare?
Bob,I couldnt agree more...
Apologies to the list for the off topic post but this is deserving of the
general populations attention.
This is a rural state and had been largely dependent upon agriculture.At one
time they did have it good,no denying that.
However due to NAFTA and the advance of Corporate Farms and several other
factors this squeeze play is taking out the majority of small farms..
Perhaps you are unaware that the Farmers agreed to give up their
govermental(fazing out over 3-4yrs.as I recall) subsidies,and in return the
government agreed to their demand of better positioning in the World Trade
Organization.However to date, despite the fact that the subsidies are being
removed as agreed ,Representitives are in large part ignoring their side of the
pact/If your not a major player with ADM or some such,good luck,you can bet the
lobbists with the best bucks will get their attention.
International food,seed,you ,name it is where the bucks are and so is the
representation.
Perhaps you didnt notice but China has flooded the market with so much of their
Apples(which we taught them to grow)fresh and juice form,that the average grower
here simply could not compete.Every country with any regard for their growers
has subsidized them in some form..Look at Japan,$10.-20 for a watermelon!!As
well as France,etc.
Globalization is well on the way and life as we know is on the short
track..Enjoying the cheapest food in the world is,most proabaly, going the way
of the buffalo.
Here is something that might catch your interest..We are in the process of
De-Regulating energy(electricity,etc.)to make it competetive right?Then maybe
you can tell me why we are on course to sell energy Trans-Borders,in other words
to S.America,etc.This will be implemented by the private sector so save me the
concept that its to improve their(S.Americas) lot and spare the planet from the
Green House effect.If the Government would just be more forthwright and honest
perhaps there would be more acceptance of such measures.
Anyway read for yourself
.http://ens.lycos.com/ens/aug99/1999L-08-02-02.html
Connie
bob wrote:
> Joseph Brouillette wrote:
> Don't worry you won't starve -
> Hi Joe
> I probably shouldn't answer this but the government has always used
> food as a political tool. Look what the government did when they were
> po'd at Russia. You might not starve now but the farmer only gets 3-5
> cents for a loaf of bread or a box of cereal. When hog prices were down
> to 10 cents or less a pound awhile back did you see the prices come down
> in the stores, no way. It takes almost 40 cents a pound to produce. Wait
> until you run all the family farmers out of business and the
> corporations control it all which is coming, then see who starves.
> Just yesterday they closed a feed business down here in town because
> the farmers couldn't pay their bills so the feed store couldn't pay it's
> bills.
> --
> Bye
> Bob
>
> Bob Axmear 208 2nd St Ne Waukon,Ia 52172-1308 319 568-4859
> http://www.hostasonline.com/ Hostasonline.com
> http://www.hostasonline.com/webwork.html WEBWORK
