Kerry: Family farmers need chance to compete for funding

[JI7]

<Kerry: Family farmers need chance to compete for funding
Presidential candidate would revamp subsidy, conservation efforts

By MIKE GLOVER, Associated Press
December 31, 2003

DES MOINES, Iowa - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, warning of the growing encroachment of corporations in food production, called Tuesday for increased funding for conservation programs and revamping the targeting of farm subsidies.

As control by agribusiness has grown, Kerry said, family farmers have been squeezed, with a 38 percent decline in the number of hog producers.

"When you consider that two-thirds of our agriculture support payments go to the largest 10 percent of firms, it's no surprise," the Massachusetts senator said.

Visiting a family farm in northern Iowa, Kerry said four giant companies control 81 percent of the nation's beef production. He said he would restructure farm subsidies to give family operations a better chance at competing for assistance. >

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/politics/article/0,1406,KNS_356_2541810,00.html

[maddezmom]

1. kick for JK

:kick:

[NashVegas]

2. Farmers Need the Chance to Compete, Period

If subsidies were wiped out today, we'd be forced to pay real prices for our food. Large corporate farmers receive the lion's share of subsidies, so guess whose prices are going to increase all the more?

[sandnsea]

4. 1996 Farm Bill

That's what it did, wiped out subsidies. Family farmers went belly-up and corporate farmers grew larger. The family farmer here needs subsidies just as must as family farmers in any part of the globe. That's what Kerry has pushed for his entire career. Ending the corporate farming subsidies and helping families, same as he has in every industry.

[NashVegas]

6. It Most Certainly Did Not

Wipe out subsidies.

[sandnsea]

7. That was the intent

To reduce subsidies gradually until they were gone by 2004 or something. It didn't work and that's why we have a new farm bill.

[Monte Carlo]

5. I think some subsidies are needed for smaller farms...

... to stabilize them from significant price changes. A small shift in prices can have a large effect on the solvency of farmers that big agribusinesses can absorb more readily. But the state that farm subsidies are in now is out of control.

[sandnsea]

3. He's good for family farms

He voted against the Republican's disastrous farm bill and has always worked to strike the right balance between supporting family farms and cutting corporate ag subsidies. I hope Iowa farmers can figure out that not every single thing that might look good for them is necessarily good for the country.