What You Need to Know
Devised during the Great Depression, the Farm Bill was designed to give American farmers a safety net when the market bottomed out.
Today's Farm Bill gives out large government payments—they're called "commodity subsidies"—to producers of a small number of crops. Most American farmers get little or nothing. Meanwhile, these subsidies don't alleviate the biggest problems in rural communities: lack of medical services, poor schools, population loss, and environmental degradation.
While the Farm Bill falls short in the US, it also hurts farmers in developing countries. By encouraging the overproduction of crops such as cotton and rice, commodity subsidies create a glut that drives down world prices, undermining the livelihoods of millions of small farmers around the world. This situation is not only unfair; it violates international rules set by the World Trade Organization.
At the same time, other Farm Bill programs—those proven to do a better job supporting rural Americans, working families, and the environment—remain underfunded:
- Rural development programs that provide electricity and broadband Internet to farming communities
- Nutrition programs that pay for food stamps and school lunches for poor families
- Conservation programs that help farmers reduce soil erosion, improve water quality and supply, and protect wildlife habitats
- Programs to fund the research and development of renewable sources of energy, which could lead to greater energy independence
The time is right and the momentum is growing. Ask Congress to revamp the Farm Bill. Let's put our tax money to work for farmers, families, and our future.