$350 million available to dairy farmers
 

What do you think?

Most Farmers I know have more equity than I can ever dream of having yet when my business is down the government does not send me a check.
What do you think?


http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/...-dairy-farmers

This isn't like the subsidies where farmers are paid not to produce so the price stays artificially high. It's to support an industry that's been operating in the red. I guess I'd rather see that happening than to see us start to import milk from Mexico.

But like the article said, $350 mil is chump change. How much good can it really do?

John

I know I am cynical but I don't see this money keeping anyone in business. I see this buying a new German car or maybe just a vacation in Fl.

Well, there's some sort of eligibility requirement you have to meet before you can get any money. It could be that just those in real need will get paid.

John

I've never gotten the whole "poor farmer" thing. I grew up in a small Ohio town, and the wealthiest people in town were always the farmers. Heck, the other local industries (Steel, Automotive) have declined or disappeared altogether, but farming remains strong.

But the public perception persists. Why?

Dave

I really don't think it's that way any more. Agribusiness has largely replaced the family farm and, just by virtue of economies of scale, small farmers can't really compete.

Some areas and some types of agriculture are worse than others. I think the upper midwest is really bad, lots of abandoned farms. Also, I think the poultry business is almost entirely in the hands of Purdue, Tyson and Foster Farms. Small operators have been bought out or forced out.

John

Here ya'll go.

http://farm.ewg.org/farm/region.php?fips=00000

See just how big of a public tit your friends and neighbors are sucking on!!!!!

Chas

But look who the principle beneficiaries are. It isn't your friends and neighbors. It's big agribusiness making all that good Frankenfood for us to grow on.

John

I know.

But when you break it down by counties, at least for me, I at least know of many of them. Know some of them personally.

And when you start pulling down 50 or 60 grand per year for "not farming", like a few of the locals do, it's not a bad lick. I know for a fact they haven't put all of their land in reserve.

Most of these farm programs are no more than welfare for the rich. The bigger the auger you bore with, the more that you get.

Central planning at it's worst.

Chas

The thing that got me was that 67% of all farmers get nothing and 10% of the 33% that do get subsidies get 74% of the money. If I did the math right that's 3.3% of ALL farmers get 74% of ALL the money.

John