October 16, 201312 yr I'm not up to speed on farm subsidies, set-aside payments from the ASCS, etc. If such helps the family farmer stay in business, then that's different than giving breaks to corporate mega-farms. If Exxon makes $9.5 billion in a quarter, they don't need federal subsidies. Research grants are fine. Wouldn't put them in the same class as food stamps or corporate welfare, though. You're right, Bert. It's not as black and white as many assume. No-bid contracts -- like we saw in Iraq -- are also a form of corporate welfare. You're right, you're not up to speed on farming.
October 16, 201312 yr You're right, you're not up to speed on farming. Big stink in Missouri, Spindoc, over Chinese corporate giant Shuanghui buying up Smithfield Foods. Big stink --literally and figuratively -- in northern Missouri.
October 16, 201312 yr What you don't seem to understand is that there's no such thing as local farmers anymore. They are going the way of the dinosaur. I grew up on a dairy, now can't find one. The problems are many. Frankly, the government pays some farmers not to farm. I won't bother to go into those details, you can google those too. If farmers, corporate or otherwise, didn't receive subsidy they'd sink. Try importing everything we need to fill the shelves at Wal-Mart and Kroger and see how we come out. And Smithfield differs from most grain farmers who are terribly weather dependent.
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