SUBSIDIES
This is from the current Mercola enewsletter:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles...-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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Texasa 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.
I thought this blog was about fish oil?......
???????
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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.'
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.mercola.com/sites/articles...10809_DNL_art_3
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.
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 aoerevolving doora between agribusiness lobbyists and government and to aoeregulatea 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.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/dump_monsanto_mike/
There's another bill under consideration that will help small , local farmers and promote real food. Click here: https://secure3.convio.net/ucs/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=3117&autologin=true&JServSessionIdr004=cowfzbfpm2.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.
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!
From Organic Bytes which has news on other food issues like Monsanto and GMO'd crops, and ways to take action: http://www.organicconsumers.org/bytes/ob301.htm
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.
QUOTE
When Barack Obama ran for President he promised to end the aoerevolving doora between agribusiness lobbyists and government and to aoeregulatea 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.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/dump_monsanto_mike/
Yes... let's spend time, effort and tax dollars on ridding the country of the HORRIBLE RAW DAIRY farmers who are apparently causing mass sickness and extinction with their deadly brew. I'm sure you heard about the raid on Rawesome Foods in CA. Makes me sick :\
I tell you, when I make my weekly trip to the dairy farm, it's like my Disneyworld. Seriously it's the happiest place around here!
I love Jamie Kilstein's approach to taxes... "There should be a form where I can check off where I want my tax money to go: Education, yes! War, no thank you!" Democracy is a joke.
So is anyone clicking on the Take action links to send letters to your representatives?
Put Junk Food Subsidies On A Diet
In the face of rising childhood obesity rates, TexPIRG is part of a nationwide effort with consumer organizations from 20 states to educate citizens about the billions of dollars Americans give to the junk food industry every year.
Since March, TexPIRG campaign staff have spoken with thousands of residents across the state. So far, our coalition has talked to half a million people nationwide.
After decades of giving big agribusinesses a pass, Congress finally proposed meaningful reform to the subsidy program that has helped flood the market with cheap, unhealthy food made with high-fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Flake (Ariz.), would cut $28 billion in subsidies over 10 years.
Apples To Twinkies
TexPIRGs report, Apples to Twinkies, found that for all the taxpayer subsidies to junk food, very little money goes to fresh fruits and vegetables.
Between 1995 and 2010, $16.9 billion went to subsidize just four food additives with no nutritional value, including high-fructose corn syrup.
These subsidies amount to 19 Twinkies per taxpayer per year, which stands in stark contrast to subsidies for fresh fruits and vegetables.
Apples are the only fresh fruit or vegetable to get a significant subsidy$262 million. Thats less than a quarter of a Red Delicious apple per taxpayer per year.
Not sure what the policies on this board are with linking to outside sources (they blocked amazon), but FDN has emailed me about a secret farm bill attempting to be past. they are asking for donations, anybody on their mailing list i ask you to check your emails.
We find these backroom deals to be an outrageous betrayal of our democratic process and another sign of how deeply out of touch politicians are in Washington DC. As we mentioned earlier, the Secret Farm Bill is being hatched behind closed doors by only 4 members of Congress and Big Ag lobbyists in an effort to reach arbitrary budget cuts to food and agricultural programs that will be proposed to the Super Committee to meet the November 23rd deadline.
Its widely agreed that the $23 billion in cuts proposed by House and Senate ag leadership will essentially kill the 2012 Farm Bill, gutting any chances for major reforms in food and agriculture until the next farm bill due in 2017.
We need your help today, now more than ever. Help us raise $5,000 over the weekend so we can mount a last minute defense for farmers and eaters everywhere.
Is a snippet of it.
Well, now they want people to make calls today before it's too late:
Last week we sent you an email alert warning of the imminent announcement of the "Secret Farm Bill" which has been hatched behind closed doors by only 4 members of Congress and Big Ag lobbyists. The deal was supposed to be announced last Tuesday, Nov. 1st, but more than 27,000 phone calls from Food Democracy Now! members helped slow that process down.
Regretfully we have to inform you that multiple sources in DC have confirmed that a final deal has been brokered between the 4 members of House and Senate Agriculture committee leadership and that deal will be announced soon - as early as today.
For those that care about healthy food, family farmers and the environment, this is devastating news is a sign of how broken our democracy is in Washington.
While final details of the deal have not been announced, massive cuts to conservation and nutrition programs are on the table. Sources are expecting that a new subsidy program may be announced that won't tie direct payments to farmers to conservation mandates as it is now. Instead, this new program being proposed could put more tax dollars in the hands of insurance companies like Farm Bureau. These proposed cuts, without input from other members of Congress, farmers and the American people fundamentally weaken the health and safety of food system, our farmland, environment and our democracy.
If you made calls last week, we're asking you to make them again. It's vital that they hear from as many people as possible today. We recognize that calls are not easy to make, but this is an urgent issue and we need your voice to be heard.
Let Congress know that you fundamentally disagree with legislation being hatched behind closed doors with agribusiness lobbyists. By agreeing to this Secret Farm Bill, these 4 House and Senate Ag leaders are essentially killing any opportunities for vital reforms that will protect family farmers, the environment and improving healthy food opportunities for all Americans.
If corporate greed gets its way, family farmers and food reformers will possibly be locked out of the conversation on reforming food and farming policy until 2017. Its no wonder people are marching in the streets!
If you think the ghouls of Halloween served up a frightening brew last week, wait until these members of Congress write your Food and Farm Bill behind Closed Doors!
The Four Horsemen of the Farm Bill Apocalypse
House Agriculture Committee:
1. Frank Lucas (R-OK) Current Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee
Lucas is so in the tank for industrial agriculture that earlier this year he proposed a hearing on the over-regulation of agricultural biotechnology.
Not surprisingly, during the 2009-2010 election cycle, Lucas received more than $317,000 from agribusiness interests, including $16,000 from Monsanto and $15,000 from the National Cattlemens Beef Association. What do you think they want now?
2. Collin Peterson (D-MN) Former Chair of the House Agriculture Committee
Peterson is widely known as Cargill Peterson for his love of defending industrial agriculture and has taken millions of dollars from agribusiness firms during his career; including $19,999 from Monsanto and $21,750 from the American Farm Bureau during the 2010 election cycle.
Senate Agriculture Committee:
3. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee
Rumors point to Stabenow as leading the push for the Secret Farm Bill because she doesnt want to have to deal with crafting this complicated piece of federal legislation during an election year.
If you think Stabenows willingness to throw out real reform of U.S. food policy because she doesnt want the headache during an election season, consider the fact that during the 2012 election cycle, from 2007 to now, Stabenow has pocketed more that $483,000 in agribusiness PAC and individual donations and is currently the top recipient of Agricultural Services & Products donations. Priceless!
Kind of gives new meaning to the term, Perks of the Senate.
4. Pat Roberts (R-KS) Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member
Roberts is a known industrial ag favorite, that during the 2009 Senate confirmation hearing of Secretary Vilsack he went so far as to draw an outrageous picture of organic farmers as GQ reading porch sitters. If that werent bad enough, Roberts has already grabbed more than $706,000 in agribusiness cash for the 2012 election cycle, including political donations from the National Corn Growers Association, DuPont, Pfizer and Syngenta.
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/483?akid=404.94302.BOLuJu&t=11
We are committed to this fight now, more than ever - please join us. Together, our voices will create the future we hope for.
Thanks for being a part of the solution and participating in food democracy,
Dave, Lisa and the Food Democracy Now! Team
Sources:
1."Farm bill runs into 11th-hour opposition", San Francisco Chronicle, November 4, 2011
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/489?akid=404.94302.BOLuJu&t=13
2. "Keith Good Farm Policy: Farm Bill Deal Offered to Super Committee", FarmPolicy.com, October 17, 2011
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/474?akid=404.94302.BOLuJu&t=15
3. "Quick and dirty: Congress may rewrite the Farm Bill in two weeks", Grist, October 24, 2011
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/475?akid=404.94302.BOLuJu&t=17
4. "Representative Frank D. Lucas 2009-2010, Sectors, 200-2010", OpenSecrets.org
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/476?akid=404.94302.BOLuJu&t=19
5. Representative Frank D. Lucas 2009 2010, Top 20 Contributors, OpenSecrets.org
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/477?akid=404.94302.BOLuJu&t=21
6. Hearing to review the causes and consequences of government over-regulation of agricultural biotechnology, House Committee on Agriculture, August 4, 2011
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/478?akid=404.94302.BOLuJu&t=23
7. Representative Collin C. Peterson 2009 2010, Top 20 Contributors, OpenSecrets.org
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/479?akid=404.94302.BOLuJu&t=25
8. "Senator Deborah Ann Stabenow 2007 - 2012 Top Industries", OpenSecrets.org
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/480?akid=404.94302.BOLuJu&t=27
9. "Senator Pat Roberts 2007-2012, Top Industries", OpenSecrets.org
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/481?akid=404.94302.BOLuJu&t=29
10. "Show Senator Pat Roberts that small farmers aren't little GQ-reading dilettantes", January 14, 200, Ethicurean
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/482?akid=404.94302.BOLuJu&t=31
Here's a simple script, heck, have fun with it!Hi, my name is _______ I'm calling to put an end to corporate greed and say "No" to the Secret Farm Bill. Rushing this vital piece of legislation behind closed doors is unfair and undemocratic.
Please tell Congressman / Senator _____ that I care about America's family farmers and support the right to an open and transparent Food and Farm Bill and that they should pass the Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act instead of the Secret Farm Bill.
Senate Ag Committee Leadership:
Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) - Chair of Senate Agricultural Committee - call: (202) 224-4822
Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) Ranking Member Senate Agriculture Committee - call: (202) 224-4774
House Ag Committee Leadership:
Congressman Frank Lucas (R-OK) Chair House Committee on Agriculture - call: 202-225-5565
Congressman Collin Peterson (D-MN) Former Chair House Committee on Agriculture - call: (202) 225-2165
Additional Congressional Leadership - please call to tell leadership you disapprove of this corrupt, backroom process.
Congressman John Boehner (R-OH) Speaker of the House (202) 225-6205
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D - CA) Minority Leader (202) 225-4965
Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) Senate Majority Leader (202)-224-3542
Senator Mitch McConnell (R-MS) Senate Minorty Leader (202) 224-2541
If you feel like calling more members of the Senate or House Ag Committees to tell the to Kill the Secret Farm Bill click on the links below.
Members of the Senate Ag Committee:
http://ag.senate.gov/site/cmtemembers.html
Members of the House Ag Committee:
http://agriculture.house.gov/singlepages.aspx?NewsID=1222&LSBID=23|69&RBSUSDA=T