121 replies to this topic

[alternativista]

This is from the current Mercola enewsletter:
http://articles.merc...-the-world.aspx

QUOTE
The breakdown of government farm subsidies is really quite eye-opening and clearly correlates with which foods are heavily consumed in the United States:

Meat/Dairy -- 73.8 percent
Grains -- 13.2 percent
Sugar/Oil/Starch/Alcohol -- 10.7 percent
Nuts/Legumes -- 1.9 percent
Vegetables/Fruits -- 0.4 percent

Notice that less than half a percent of food subsidies is for fruits and vegetables! This is precisely why families have trouble affording green peppers, leafy greens and tomatoes, but can get a fast-food cheeseburger for a buck.

The bad news is that the foods receiving the greatest subsidies are the very foods you should avoid or limit, according to federal nutrition guidelines. It's a perfect example of saying one thing but doing another, and then blaming the ill effects on human nature.


The farm bill is renewed every 4 years, last in 2008.

Edited by alternativista, 19 February 2013 - 12:05 PM.

[Kitten35]

What a bummer. How sad that they do the exact opposite of what they should.

[chunkylard]

Despicable.

[TexMurphy01]

Haha, I hope nobody is actually surprised though.

[Kitten35]

No but I am kinda surprised at the difference in terms of amount. That's SO heavily weighted towards meat and dairy.

[spectacled_owl]

How? Howw?? How are vegetables and fruits only 0.4%?

/faints

[chunkylard]

How? Howw?? How are vegetables and fruits only 0.4%?

/faints

Yeah, it's pretty abysmal. I was actually expecting grain farming to outweigh meat and dairy farming but we might as well group those 3 into one category because that's what they're feeding to cattle nowadays.

[Ariventa]

Pretty shocked. I never would have guessed that the numbers were so skewed.

[alternativista]

So get to harassing your congressmen.

They should only subsidize fruits and vegetable farms of any size, but especially small organic farms and in the case of meat and dairy, only those that raise pastured animals. And I suppose they could subsidize organic grains.

But then again, maybe they should only subsidize small growers of anything, period. Subsidies give U.S. growers an unfair advantage over growers in other countries that have to compete with and combined with NAFTA (and whatever the expansion of that is called that includes the Caribbean and who ever else), has really hurt farmers in other countries. Making them give up farming and move to city slums. That's why Port au Prince was so over populated with so many poorly built buildings when the earthquake hit. And why Haitian children were being fed mud pies during food shortages even before the earthquake. So little food is local and they are seriously impacted when prices go up with oil prices.

Edited by alternativista, 29 May 2011 - 11:13 AM.

[spectacled_owl]

But then again, maybe they should only subsidize small growers of anything, period.

Yes, this is just better for so many reasons. I have daymares about huge GM farms subsidized by Monsanto goons and growing fake food. I wish our government would encourage small, family owned, sustainable farms.

[alternativista]

Here's a site with a letter to your senators. All you have to do is supply your name and address and it will go to your reps.

https://secure3.conv...o...ion&id=2082

[alternativista]

This statement was in an article on homemade dog food.

Then there is the chemical contamination. Lead is a problem in US cattle, and it accumulates in the bones. It is such a problem that bone meal for human consumption cannot be made from US reared livestock. Synthetic estrogen is also used to fatten cattle, and remains in the meat.

[alternativista]

B.S. response from one of the senators that 'represent' me:

Dear Friend:
Thank you for contacting me regarding the reauthorization of the Farm Bill. I welcome your thoughts and comments.

The Farm Bill authorization process allows Congress to address comprehensively critical agriculture and food issues. The bill historically contains sections covering support for livestock, agriculture research, crops and several other related programs. The current Farm Bill is authorized through fiscal year (FY) 2012.

We must ensure that our nation's farmlands and ranches are supported to strengthen Texas’ economy and jobs. Agriculture is a vital industry for our nation and an important part of the Texas economy. In fact, agriculture is one of the largest industries in Texas, generating nearly $80 billion annually for our economy.

The new Farm Bill should continue to provide farmers and ranchers with an important safety net for production. The disaster assistance program and the revenue-based counter-cyclical program give producers certainty and should continue to be funded into the future. With this measure of security, Texas farmers and ranchers can plant and harvest the food and fiber on which consumers rely.

I am committed to supporting our farmlands and ranches in a fiscally responsible manner. I do not believe that non-agricultural programs should be funded in Congress through harmful budget cuts to the Texas farming and ranching community.

I appreciate hearing from you, and I hope that you will not hesitate to contact me on any issue that is important to you.

Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison
United States Senator

Blah, blah, blah, jobs, blah, blah. Same reason we must subsidize huge corporations to keep drilling, refining and pulverizing mountains for carbon fuels to burn despite the fact that the planet makes tons of energy that doesn't require burning anything and there are tons of jobs involved in obtaining that energy.

Edited by alternativista, 14 June 2011 - 01:23 PM.

[VitaminofLove333]

I thought this blog was about fish oil?......

[alternativista]

I thought this blog was about fish oil?......

???????

----------------------

Anyway, You should see the response I got from Senator Cornyn. You can't even tell what it's about. Just a bunch of Republican party line BS about spending and deficits.

Both my senators supported continuing subsidizing Big Oil. You can bet they'll keep subsidizing 'big food.'

[alternativista]

For those concerned about the fight against Monsanto high priced seed that result in crops that farmers have to pay royalties on and require tons of Roundup pesticide that insects are now becoming resistant to:

Hungary Destroys All Monsanto GMO Corn Fields http://articles.merc...10809_DNL_art_3

[alternativista]

Just got this in my email.

Monsanto pushes USDA to approve GMO drought corn - Tell the USDA what you think!

All you have to do is click on the link to sign a petition or send a letter.
http://action.foodde...o...mp;rd=1&t=6

[alternativista]

So Obama appointed someone from Monsanto to be the FDA Food Safety Czar and the first thing he's doing is investigating small raw dairy farmers.

When Barack Obama ran for President he promised to end the “revolving door� between agribusiness lobbyists and government and to “regulate� factory farms. Unfortunately Obama's decision to appoint Monsanto super lobbyist Michael Taylor as FDA Food Safety Czar broke the trust that the American people had placed in him during his campaign. Now Michael Taylor is heading up undercover investigations at the FDA into small raw milk dairy farmers that end in armed raids while the worst factory farm violators are getting away. It's time for President Obama to stand up for real food safety and put an end to the assault against family farmers producing healthy food.

Tell President Obama to DUMP Monsanto Michael Taylor! It's time to protect family farmers and stop letting Big Ag lobbyists write the rules.

Click here to send a letter. All you have to do is fill in your name and click.

http://action.foodde..._monsanto_mike/

[alternativista]

There's another bill under consideration that will help small , local farmers and promote real food. Click here: https://secure3.conv...fzbfpm2.app306a to send the letter below to your representatives.

I am writing to urge you to cosponsor the Local Farms, Food and Jobs Act, recently introduced by Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH). In an era of budget constraints, this bill is necessary to ensure processed foods are no longer prioritized over healthy food, while encouraging economic development for rural communities and farmers.

"Market Forces: Creating Jobs through Public Investment in Local and Regional Food Systems," a recent report by the Union of Concerned Scientists, found that even modest federal support can boost local economies, create jobs, and encourage production and consumption of healthy fruits and vegetables. As a bonus, farmers engaged in local sales are also more likely to embrace practices that protect our air, water, and soil.

This sector has seen enormous growth in recent years, yet significant obstacles remain to further expansion. The Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act will provide more reliable funding to boost income and opportunities for farmers and ranchers, improve local and regional food system infrastructure and markets, expand access to healthy foods for consumers, and enhance agriculture research and extension.

[alternativista]

A success against big Ag--

Is the 1%'s Super Committee Writing a Secret Farm Bill?
Demand Cuts to Corporate Welfare - Not Hunger and Sustainable Ag Programs!
The Big Ag lobby suffered a shock when an amendment offered by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) to cut farm subsidies to anyone with an average income of over $1 million cleared the Senate by a vote of 84-15. This proposal has yet to become law, but it is clear that the momentum is not in Big Ag's favor. Congress is ready to vote for a fairer Farm Bill in 2012 when the current law expires. Knowing that, corporate lobbyists working for the 1% are trying to prevent any more votes like that one.
Big Ag's current strategy is for Congress not to vote on a new Farm Bill at all. They'd rather have the Super Committee, set to cut at least $1.2 trillion from the federal debt in November, shape the bill behind closed doors. Their idea is for the Super Committee to cut $23 billion over 10 years, mostly from conservation and nutrition programs that help the hungry, family farmers, and sustainable agriculture, rather than save more money by adopting the White House proposal to save $50 billion over 10 years by ending all direct payments that go to mega farms growing crops for polluting factory farms and unhealthy junk food.
Ag Committee Chairmen and Super Committee members are currently working on a Secret Farm Bill that by all accounts will favor Big Ag over family-scale organic farmers and the swelling ranks of those who are relying on Food Stamps and school lunch programs to survive during the continuing economic crisis.
Tell Congress: Cut Corporate Welfare - Not Hunger and Sustainable Ag Programs!
Take action

From Organic Bytes which has news on other food issues like Monsanto and GMO'd crops, and ways to take action: http://www.organicco...bytes/ob301.htm