Payments to farmers may exceed farm bill’s expectations

[Common]

Can someone explain why if crop prices drop to consumers, the consumers still pay for it with their tax money in subsidies ?

Also why is so much produce being imported from all over the world. A quick scan in your produce aisle will show sometimes more produce from South America than from america. Most of what you look at comes from Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, etc.
That drives the price down of our produce, so instead of consumers getting a break we give subsidies to farmers.



Falling crop prices are going against Congress’ assumptions for the revamped programs.

By David Rogers (http://www.politico.com/reporters/DavidRogers.html)
1/29/15 5:36 AM EST
Falling crop prices are raising cost projections for new farm programs even before producers have signed up this spring.
The Congressional Budget Office weighed in this week with a revised baseline that shows annual payments to farmers could average $4.8 billion over the next decade — a nearly 50 percent increase over what CBO had predicted less than a year ago after passage of the 2014 farm bill.


Taxpayers will get some relief, because the same market changes that are driving up the cost of the commodity title of the farm bill will help to lessen the cost of the heavily subsidized crop insurance program. CBO’s new baseline shows a modest $200 million drop from its past projections for average yearly crop insurance costs, and some economists argue that this number understates the potential savings.


As a rule, lower prices reduce the value of the crop to be insured and therefore the total premium needed to cover the liability. In the past six years, the projected base price for corn, which is set for revenue insurance each winter in advance of spring plantings, has proved a surprisingly good indicator of changes in total premiums.



Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/farm-bill-farmer-payments-114699.html#ixzz3QDESCxlq

[Peter1469]

I try to get most of my produce locally grown. That might limit options based on the season, but it is a better model to follow.

[Common]

Exactly, other countries do not have the same laws regarding pesticides and laws of sales.
You dont know exactly what youre getting. It may be those vegetables are excellent but for me how can vegetables be fresh, being picked, brought to a wholesaler, bought and shipped to the US then to another wholesaler and then to stores. Seems to me something it making that produce look good after all that time from being picked.

[Peter1469]

Exactly, other countries do not have the same laws regarding pesticides and laws of sales.
You dont know exactly what youre getting. It may be those vegetables are excellent but for me how can vegetables be fresh, being picked, brought to a wholesaler, bought and shipped to the US then to another wholesaler and then to stores. Seems to me something it making that produce look good after all that time from being picked.

Wax and dyes often.

[Common]

Plus could it be a windfall to buy cheap South American produce sell it for as much profit or more than you grow your own. Then get TAXPAYER guaranteed profit from subsidies. What a joke subsidies for any industry is. Its profit welfare of the most insidious kind.

[PolWatch]

Shipping produce from other countries means it has to be picked before its ripe. Storage techniques & time means it loses a lot of the natural benefits....so we end up with something that may look like healthy, tasty veggies, but has as much nutrition as the cardboard wrapper. Just compare the taste of a vine-ripened tomato to one bought at a chain store.

[hanger4]

Shipping produce from other countries means it has to be picked before its ripe. Storage techniques & time means it loses a lot of the natural benefits....so we end up with something that may look like healthy, tasty veggies, but has as much nutrition as the cardboard wrapper. Just compare the taste of a vine-ripened tomato to one bought at a chain store.

Most produce is picked before it has ripened, has to be unless it's

sold to the consumer within a few days. Tomatoes and Bananas are picked

green and can be gassed to speed up or slow down the ripening process.

The majority of produce is processed in some way, canning, dried, milling

and other ways. Local is great, but what do you buy after harvest ??

Which is why you'll see produce from parts south this time of year.

Oh and Common I'm all for ending "subsidies" true "subsidies",

the tax code is another animal.

[Common]

Most produce is picked before it has ripened, has to be unless it's

sold to the consumer within a few days. Tomatoes and Bananas are picked

green and can be gassed to speed up or slow down the ripening process.

The majority of produce is processed in some way, canning, dried, milling

and other ways. Local is great, but what do you buy after harvest ??

Which is why you'll see produce from parts south this time of year.

Oh and @Common (http://thepoliticalforums.com/member.php?u=659) I'm all for ending "subsidies" true "subsidies",

the tax code is another animal.

I know all that hanger, but broccoli from quatemala certainly has to be picked sooner than broccoli from around the corner. Get my point ?

[PolWatch]

Most produce is picked before it has ripened, has to be unless it's

sold to the consumer within a few days. Tomatoes and Bananas are picked

green and can be gassed to speed up or slow down the ripening process.

The majority of produce is processed in some way, canning, dried, milling

and other ways. Local is great, but what do you buy after harvest ??

Which is why you'll see produce from parts south this time of year.

Oh and @Common (http://thepoliticalforums.com/member.php?u=659) I'm all for ending "subsidies" true "subsidies",

the tax code is another animal.

true...if you want to eat items that are not locally grown or out of season, your choices are foreign imports or canned/frozen. We go with the canned/frozen option because we can/freeze produce in small quantities. We are fortunate in being able to buy local produce most of the year.

The more successful the small truck farmers are at selling produce, more small growers go this route. People used to expect their diet to be limited by season but now we expect to get what we want, when we want it. It comes down to what is important to us. I prefer local produce and I'm usually willing to wait until its available.

[Peter1469]

Some of the local farms are using hot houses for winter produce production. But you have to get to the market early to get those.

The farmers market that I go to is year round.

[hanger4]

I know all that hanger, but broccoli from quatemala certainly has to be picked sooner than broccoli from around the corner. Get my point ?

It's cheaper Common Guatemala has the "plantation" problem.

Besides there is very little "broccoli from around the corner" in the US

this time of year.

[Common]

It's cheaper @Common (http://thepoliticalforums.com/member.php?u=659) Guatemala has the "plantation" problem.

Besides there is very little "broccoli from around the corner" in the US

this time of year.

Still growing fresh here, I buy it from a local produce stand that gets it from right across the road.
I do know what youre saying about seasonal. The point is it profitable for american producers not to produce and import produce make the same profit as growing it and selling and get taxpayer subsidies on top of it.

All corporate subsidies should end

[hanger4]

Some of the local farms are using hot houses for winter produce production. But you have to get to the market early to get those.

The farmers market that I go to is year round.

We do the same (farmers market) but there isn't much

local or truly fresh this time of year. We can, store and

freeze some starting in the fall. Hot houses are good but

raises the price considerably. There are some around here

but they raise mostly non edible plants.

[hanger4]

Still growing fresh here, I buy it from a local produce stand that gets it from right across the road.
I do know what youre saying about seasonal. The point is it profitable for american producers not to produce and import produce make the same profit as growing it and selling and get taxpayer subsidies on top of it.


Here ??


All corporate subsidies should end

All subsidies, not just corporate. Again the tax code is a different animal.

[Common]

I get good produce all year round and yes some is imported. Thats not really the issue here its subsidies for farmers. The GOP always says farmers like its mom and pop with 20 acres. Subsidies and the biggest subsidies go to Mega Corporate farmers.

[hanger4]

I get good produce all year round and yes some is imported. Thats not really the issue here its subsidies for farmers. The GOP always says farmers like its mom and pop with 20 acres. Subsidies and the biggest subsidies go to Mega Corporate farmers.

Just wondering where "here" is. In my neck of the woods

it's much to cold from Oct/Nov to April/May to grow much

in the way of veggies.

[Common]

Just wondering where "here" is. In my neck of the woods

it's much to cold from Oct/Nov to April/May to grow much

in the way of veggies.

Im in fla we have some produce all year round.

[Mac-7]

Still growing fresh here, I buy it from a local produce stand that gets it from right across the road.
I do know what youre saying about seasonal. The point is it profitable for american producers not to produce and import produce make the same profit as growing it and selling and get taxpayer subsidies on top of it.

All corporate subsidies should end

Mall subsidies should end.

Corporate subsidies are no better or worse welfare or community organizers.