[AT] Farmer's Welfare To Continue?

[Greg Hass]

I to would like to see the farm programs disappear; however our 
government does NOT want that to happen. Many years ago (I'm thinking 
about 45) the USDA had a vote of farmers whether to keep farm programs 
or to get out of the farmers business. The vote was greatly in favor of 
leaving the free market system work. The powers that be got mad and 
eliminated the farm programs; however they established a "food 
reserve".  The government bought up millions of bushels of grain and 
when the price went up they dumped it on the market driving the prices 
back down at which time they would resupply their stockpiles. Even if 
they didn't dump on the market, the buyers knew the supplies were there 
and had no reason to pay higher prices. Two or three years into the 
program, thousands of farmers were going broke, so the subsidies were 
brought back in to stem the tide of farmers going broke. As for telling 
them what I grow, I hate it. Sadly, it doesn't matter because with 
airplanes and satallites they know how much of each crop I'm growing 
better than I do. I realize this is close to political, so I hope I have 
not affended anyone but I feel it is somewhat farm related. My opinions 
only and I will say no more on the subject.

Greg Hass