FarmPolicyFacts.org News

July 2009

2009-07-15T13:11:55-05:00

TIME Flies: Part 4

Farmers Wait and Wait and Wait Some More for Farm Law Direction

Grower Spotlight: Terry Wanzek (Jamestown, ND)

June 2009

2009-06-23T14:17:21-05:00

TIME Flies: Part 1

Farmers Take Boston Globe to Task

U.S. Farmers Rank Low on Global Subsidy Scale

April 2009

2009-06-23T13:59:08-05:00

Congress Should Investigate Grocery Price Gouging

Farm Budget Cuts Could Create Chaos at Grocery Checkouts

Grower Spotlight: Chuck Coley (Vienna, Georgia)

Late March 2009

2009-04-03T10:41:14-05:00

Hands Off the Farm Bill

Cutting Holes in the Farm Safety Net Doesn't Add Up

Candy Companies Still Sweet in Sour Economy

USDA Should Stop Pitting Farmers Vs. School Nutrition Programs

2009-03-23T08:32:06-05:00

U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Ranking Republican Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and others today sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urging him to refrain from using rhetoric that unfairly attacks the farmers and ranchers who form the foundation of America's rural economy...

March 2009

2009-03-03T07:59:13-05:00

Gross Sale Out

ForGot Milk?

New Pay Limit Rules Creating Confusion, Chaos

Farm Policy Facts February 2009

2009-02-27T08:02:14-05:00

The Not-So 'Farm' Farm Bill

Strange Heritage

2008's Greatest Hits

Strange Heritage

2009-01-13T18:24:09-05:00

WASHINGTON (Jan 13, 2009)-The Riverwalk was hopping as farmers from across the country descended on San Antonio for the American Farm Bureau Federation's 90th annual convention this weekend

But this year's show had a new comer-The Heritage Foundation, a large DC think tank with a $61 million budget.

Yes, the same Heritage that's published nearly 10 anti-farm-bill pieces since 2007-including "Seven Reasons to Veto the Farm Bill and The Farm Bill and Other Bad Ideas"-had a booth at the show. Talk about walking into the lion's den.

Farm Policy Facts December 2008

2008-12-09T12:15:17-05:00

You Want How Much for That Bagel?

Mainstream Media and Journalism 101

Doha Opposition Builds

Finance, Ways and Means Leaders Urge President to Stand Firm on Doha Round

2008-12-04T13:33:29-05:00

Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), along with House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Ranking Member Jim McCrery (R-La), sent a letter today to President Bush, urging the administration to stand firm in the Doha Round negotiations at the World Trade Organization.

The letter expresses the signatories' concern that WTO proposals currently on the table will not provide new market access for American agriculture...

Mainstream Media and Journalism 101

2008-12-01T17:34:26-05:00

Visit most any university-level journalism class across the country, and you'll undoubtedly hear a lesson about taking quotes out of context.

It is a lesson aspiring reporters are taught early on in the curriculum-be accurate when quoting a source and don't mischaracterize a source's quote to fit the story you want to write.

Why then did news organizations like The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal abuse a straightforward statement made by President-elect Barack Obama about farm policy last week?

Doha Discussion Paper: Special Products Exemption Sharply Reduces Market Access

2008-11-24T15:29:19-05:00

By: National Cotton Council
There are many remaining areas of disagreement in the Doha Round trade negotiations. In the months since the Doha Round July mini-ministerial, virtually all of the discussion has centered on the Special Safeguard Mechanism, cotton, and Sectoral Negotiations in the NAMA (non-agricultural market access) negotiations as being among the last remaining hurdles. The Lamy provisions on Special Products have scarcely been mentioned...

Former Ag Chairman Warns of Doha Disaster

2008-11-21T13:17:28-05:00

Larry Combest, the former Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, this week penned a policy paper outlining potential pitfalls for farmers if the current World Trade Organization trade talks conclude without serious revisions.

Farm Policy Facts November 2008

2008-11-19T10:40:18-05:00

Sticking it to Consumers and Farmers

Give Me a Break

Farm Bill Breakdown: TITLE VI - Rural Development

Farm Policy Facts October 2008

2008-10-31T14:57:20-05:00

AIG probably has a big AGI

The Rebirth of Rural America

Farm Bill Breakdown: Energy Title

Give Me a Break

2008-10-31T14:35:25-05:00

You can almost set your watch by it.

About once a year "20/20" reporter John Stossel produces a piece about the evils of farm policy. None of the material is groundbreakinghe uses the same talking points that have been regurgitated by farm opponents for years. And like most professional farm critics, Stossel's story is full of holes and keeps changing...

Caught in the Middle

2008-10-03T10:05:31-05:00

In terms of farm policy, producers are in limbo right now, caught somewhere in between the new 2008 farm act and the old 2002 law.

Farm bill implementing regulations have yet to be written, lawmakers and USDA officials continue to tussle over the intent of the law, and farmers are confused.

Few farmers are feeling the effects of this trip to no-man's-land more than the Louisiana producers who were recently slammed by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike...

Farm Policy Facts September 2008

2008-09-03T09:54:31-05:00

It is the Rural Economy, Stupid

Meet the Candidates: John McCain

Meet the Candidates: Barack Obama

Farm Policy Facts August 2008

2008-08-06T09:46:45-05:00

Sarkozy - Formidable Farm Team

Ag Committee Sends Strong Doha Signal

Community Spotlight: Hawaii

Sarkozy’s Formidable Farm Team

2008-07-25T11:11:23-05:00

Following the announcement of a trade concession a few years ago, a Minnesota farmer gave a local reporter a quote for the ages.

We need to have uniforms made up for our trade negotiators so they know what team they play for, he said.

Now with current WTO trade talks headed in the wrong direction, U.S. farmers are making a new fashion statement. And it looks like they are backing Team France.

US and EU Farmers Agree: WTO Falling Short

2008-07-15T10:35:28-05:00

Farmers on both sides of the pond today came out swinging against the direction of international trade negotiations. With a decisive Ministerial to be held next week, the undersigned organizations, representing American farmers and ranchers, wish to express their continued deep concern about the status and direction of the Doha Round of WTO negotiations...

Congress Passes Farm Bill By Margin That Would Override Veto

2008-05-15T16:43:36-05:00

After weeks of veto threats from the White House, lawmakers handed President Bush a stunning defeat this week by passing the farm bill by a veto proof margin.

La. Ag Urges Vote for Farm Bill

2008-05-14T13:01:23-05:00

WASHINGTON (May 14) - In a letter sent to every member of the Louisiana Congressional delegation yesterday, leaders from the state's agricultural sector asked lawmakers "to work with others in Washington, D.C. to over-ride the [expected Presidential] veto before it occurs by overwhelmingly approving the farm bill now."

Republicans Hold Fast on Farm Bill

2008-05-09T16:22:02-05:00

Just moments after details of the farm bill conference report surfaced, Republican lawmakers started signaling their support for the new bill, even if that means voting to override a possible veto by President Bush.

Add a Pinch of Sugar, Rice, and Wheat to Your Tank

2008-04-01T10:44:33-05:00

In April 2002 - as Congress was struggling to pass a farm bill-CNN ran a story about high oil prices.

Oil futures in New York were $27.38 a barrel at the time of this story, which proclaimed, "[T]he impact of rising wholesale prices since September has already spilled over at the pumps...there appears to be little let-up for consumers."

Farmers Don't Get Much Bread for that Loaf

2008-03-21T16:08:41-05:00

Though U.S. shoppers still pay far less for their food than shoppers in any other country, opponents of farm policy who once complained about low commodity prices are now taking aim at family farmers for higher prices at checkout lines.

Farmers Hopping Mad over Farm Bill Delay this Easter

2008-03-20T17:37:57-05:00

Easter candy is big business. Americans are projected to spend $1.9 billion to fill Easter baskets with sweet treats this year, says the National Retail Federation.

A survey conducted by the group estimates that shoppers will fork over, on average, $18.12 for Easter candy - up from $14.40 just five years earlier.

Not Just a Farm Bill, a Food Bill

2008-03-11T15:33:27-05:00

Members of the Texas Congressional delegation could start receiving a lot of farm bill letters from people in the Houston area who depend on local hunger relief groups.

Hypocritical Critics

2008-03-10T15:29:24-05:00

U.S. farm programs were recently being attacked by big-city editorial boards and farm policy critics for keeping commodity prices too low and, thus, harming developing countries. Now, with many agricultural commodity prices on an upswing, these same groups are complaining that prices are too high and, thus, harming developing countries.

Grower Spotlight: Gene (Pucky) Sandager (Hills, Minnesota)

2008-02-13T09:29:20-05:00

"When you feed the world, you are as important as any ambassador or government diplomat," explained 50-year-old Gene (Pucky) Sandager, a corn, soybean, and cattle producer from Hills, Minnesota.

But Gene does a lot more than just feed the world; he is teaching the world how to feed itself.

Farm Bill 'Shortchanged' by 'Short-Sighted' Admin. Proposals

2008-02-11T17:36:43-05:00

More than 20 farm organization told lawmakers today that they oppose including provisions in a final version of farm bill that "fall outside" of the provisions contained in the versions approved by the House and Senate.

"We fully believe the new farm bill must not be shortchanged," the farm groups, including the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Farmers Union, wrote in a letter to the leading Democrats and Republicans on the House and Senate Agriculture Committees.

Extending the Pain

2008-02-05T16:29:57-05:00

As bleak as the budget situation looks for the farm bill right now, "it doesn't get any better beyond 2008," a policy analyst with Informa Economics told sugarbeet farmers at their annual convention today.

Senate Farm Bill Includes Reforms, Wins Accolades

2008-01-15T18:52:57-05:00

Most priorities championed during the writing of the new farm bill received funding increases.

There was more money for conservation, for nutrition programs and for renewable energy priorities. There was additional funding for research, the marketing of fruits and vegetables and even pest and disease eradication...

Grower Spotlight: Patrick Johnson (Tunica, Mississippi)

2008-01-11T10:31:13-05:00

Being a fresh college graduate is one of the scariest and thrilling times of one's lifetime. All of a sudden it is up to you to make your own decisions. But what if your decision entailed entering a risky industry?

Farmers Focus on Fast Farm Bill Conference

2007-12-20T17:38:52-05:00

Organizations representing most farmers in America sent a letter today to key legislators asking them to "complete a conference report to the Farm Bill by no later than late January or early February."

Lugar-Lautenberg Loses Steam

2007-12-12T23:31:23-05:00

Farmers and ranchers applauded as the Senate soundly defeated a farm bill amendment by Senators Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) and Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) to gut the farm safety net.

Ag Groups Ask for New Farm Bill, Not Extension

2007-11-29T17:26:30-05:00

Nineteen agricultural groups wrote to the Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate today to ask that they complete work on the pending farm bill rather than extending current farm policy.

Farm Bill Should Not Be Weakened with Amendments

2007-11-14T17:38:59-05:00

The farm bill unanimously passed by the Senate Agriculture Committee struck a delicate balance between numerous budget and political priorities and should not be weakened with amendments. That was the message to Senators Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) in a letter sent yesterday from 23 farm organizations.

Lugar-Lautenberg: Kind-Flake Reborn

2007-11-14T17:38:58-05:00

As the U.S. Senate begins consideration of the 2007 farm bill, it is understandable that Senators and America's farmers and ranchers may feel a little dejavu.

That's because the Senate will debate a rehash of the unpopular Kind-Flake amendment that was resoundingly defeated 117-309 on the House floor in July. The Senate version will be introduced by Senators Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) and Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.).

Policy Analysis: Support the Senate Ag Committee Pay Limits Reform

2007-11-14T17:38:57-05:00

Oppose the Grassley-Dorgan Amendment

Senate Agriculture Committee Bill Reforms...

Saves Nearly $500 Million. Pay limits in the Senate Agriculture Committee farm bill save nearly half a billion dollars, according to the Congressional Budget Office. And those savings would increase if crop prices fall...

From the Senate Floor: Excerpt from a Nov. 8 Statement

2007-11-14T17:38:54-05:00

[D]espite the fact that our Nation enjoys but does not apparently appreciate the fact that production agriculture does provide this country and a very troubled and hungry world the very best quality food at the lowest price in the history of the world, we have heard a lot of repeated calls for dramatic reform of our farm programs.

The Emperor's New Clothes: Subsidy Propaganda Stripped

2007-11-14T17:38:53-05:00

By: USA Rice Federation

Every day we see a steady stream of propaganda about U.S. farm subsidies being responsible for the myriad ills associated with world poverty.

With the farm bill on the Senate floor, we've seen editorials in newspapers and magazines-even church newsletters-addressed to members of Congress, declaring that farmers be stripped of the safety net we know is indispensable for the production of a safe, wholesome and affordable food supply for all Americans and many other consumers around the world.

Farm Groups Urge Senate Completion of Farm Bill

2007-11-14T17:38:52-05:00

In a letter sent today to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, key farming groups expressed their disappointment in "the lack of progress made" last week on the 2007 farm bill.

Brown Amendment Would Wreck Crop Insurance

2007-11-06T17:38:52-05:00

Last week, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) announced that he intended to offer an amendment to the farm bill that would price farmers and ranchers out of insurance while forcing many providers out of business.

Community Spotlight: Walnut Grove, Minnesota

2007-11-01T15:28:07-05:00

"Little House on the Prairie" Opposes Grassley-Dorgan Pay Limits Amendment

Tom and DeVonna Zeug have a lot in common with the famous Charles Ingalls family who, in the late 19th century, settled on a farm just seven miles away from what is today the Zeug family's fifth generation farm.

Farm Families Praise Roberts Amendment

2007-11-01T15:27:52-05:00

Allows Farmers to Elect Revenue Option Without Sacrificing Safety Net

Washington (Oct. 31)-Farm families across the country breathed a collective sigh of relief last week after the Senate Agriculture Committee unanimously accepted an amendment offered by Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) that would allow farmers to elect to participate in a countercyclical revenue program but do so without sacrificing their safety net.

Senate Panel Makes Reforms to Farm Bill

2007-11-01T15:25:19-05:00

By now, the opponents of farm policy sound like broken records. The Senate Agriculture Committee had not even completed its markup of the farm bill, and these naysayers were already attacking the bill and Committee members for not making reforms.

It seems like no matter how many concessions the agricultural community makes, they will never be enough for these foreign-funded advocacy groups and other fringe groups who really want to see production agriculture come to an end in America.

Senate Farm Bill debate Podcast

2007-10-22T15:43:19-05:00

Former House Agriculture Committee Chairman Larry Combest (R) on the Senate Farm Bill debate.

Key Ag Groups Urge Prompt Action on 2007 Farm Bill

2007-10-22T15:06:49-05:00

WASHINGTON (Oct. 19) - A letter from 15 organizations sent to Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Chambliss "to urge prompt action on 2007 farm legislation" underscores the need to complete the farm bill in 2007.

Beyond Our Borders: A Strong U.S. Farm Bill Has Global Implications

2007-10-22T15:03:45-05:00

All too often we hear from self-anointed advocates who claim that U.S. farm policies contribute to poverty around the world. Yet they consistently ignore the real experts on global issues calling for the very same policies those naysayers are predisposed to reject. Moreover, rarely, if ever, does the media focus attention on the international organizations and developing countries that support strong domestic farm policies.

Grower Spotlight: Justin Cariker - Tunica, Mississippi

2007-10-22T15:03:01-05:00

Farmer Justin Cariker from Tunica, Mississippi has so many titles you couldn't possible fit it all on a business card.

He is a cotton farmer, soybean farmer, wheat farmer and corn farmer, and when he's not farming he is extremely active in his community.

Grower Spotlight: John Thaemert (Ellsworth, Kansas)

2007-10-22T15:00:26-05:00

When John Thaemert isn't sporting a suit and sitting behind his desk at the Citizens State Bank & Trust Co. in Ellsworth, Kan., he's wearing jeans and working on his wheat farm a few miles down the road near Sylvan Grove.

Finally, an Editorial for Farmers

2007-10-03T09:47:26-05:00

In my position on the House Agriculture Committee, I have traveled around the country and met with many different kinds of farmers, and I have come to the conclusion that editorial board writers dont spend a lot of time on farms.

Conservation, Hunger, Religious, Farm Groups Call for Swift Senate Action

2007-09-28T15:30:17-05:00

WASHINGTON (Sept. 28)-With just two days remaining before the current farm bill expires, organizations of all political stripes today sent a letter to Senate leaders "to support expedited action on the 2007 Farm Bill."

T-Minus 11 Days

2007-09-19T13:35:48-05:00

WASHINGTON (Sept. 19)-When the clock strikes midnight on Sept. 30, will the farm bill turn into a pumpkin, or will the Senate quickly collect the glass slipper and give rural America a happy ending?

This much we know for certain: A new farm bill will not be signed into law by the time the clock runs out on the current farm bill in 11 days. And what happens next has caused tremendous confusion.

Community Spotlight: Abbeville, Louisiana

2007-09-19T13:34:42-05:00

Sept. 24 marks the two-year anniversary of the big flood in Abbeville, Louisiana.

Thats when Hurricane Rita brought an unprecedented squall that would change the small rice-farming town forever. Overnight, farmers in Abbeville lost homes, farm equipment and more than half of the towns rice acres.

Grower Spotlight: Gene Fynboh - Brandon, Minnesota

2007-09-12T08:26:39-05:00

Nowadays, everybody seems to be hopping on the ethanol bandwagon.

Its a centerpiece for aspiring presidents energy stump speeches. Wall Street is looking to Main Street for investment opportunities. And even one-time opponents of the clean burning fuel admit it will be vital to weaning America off its foreign oil dependence...

House Bill Brings Real Reform

2007-09-12T08:25:27-05:00

The last vote had barely been cast on the House farm bill when the spin machines for groups from the far right and far left started whining in overdrive.

Oxfam America-a group that invested considerable resources promoting the Kind-Flake farm bill that was swiftly and soundly defeated by a bipartisan vote-issued a press release entitled "House Fails to Deliver Farm Bill Reform."

Ag Groups United in Encouraging - Swift Action in the Senate

2007-09-12T08:24:33-05:00

WASHINGTON (Sept. 11)-More than 20 organizations representing farmers and ranchers from across the U.S. called for "swift action in the Senate" on the 2007 farm bill in a letter [view letter] sent yesterday to key members of the U.S. Senate...

2 Years Later, Katrina Offers Food Safety Lesson

2007-08-29T13:31:28-05:00

WASHINGTON (August 29)SpongeBob Square Pants, Curious George and Thomas the Tank Engine last week became the latest lead-based casualties in the Chinese toy saga, putting parents on high alert about the quality of imports.

These high-profile product recalls landed on the front page of most major newspapers and remain in the news. But today marks the two-year anniversary of a similar-albeit less publicized-near miss with a basic staple in the country's food supply...

Recess Report: Bipartisan Praise for House Farm Bill

2007-08-29T13:30:36-05:00

Much to the delight of farmers and ranchers in rural America, members of the Senate Agriculture Committee have repeatedly praised the agricultural provisions of the House farm bill during Congress' August recess.

Farm Organizations United as Farm Bill Goes to the U.S. Senate

2007-08-09T09:25:04-05:00

CALIFORNIA (August 8)At the American Sugar Alliances 24th International Sweetener Symposium, farmers from across the country came together to pledge a common goal of supporting a strong 2007 farm bill. The bill passed the House of Representatives on July 27.

With the Senate slated to take up the legislation in September, key agriculture groups including the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Farmers Union, the National Pork Producers Council, the National Cotton Council, the American Sugar Alliance, USA Rice Federation, the National Association of Wheat Growers, Minnesota Corn Growers Association, fruits and vegetables, and many others have endorsed a strong farm bill...

Commodity Groups Express Gratitude

2007-08-09T09:24:09-05:00

In a victorious moment for America's farmers, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly rejected the Kind-Flake amendment last Thursday night by an astonishing vote of 309 to 117. Thanks to the support and persistence of the House Agriculture Committee and Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), as well as various coalitions and associations representing America's farmers, the 2007 farm bill was then passed on Friday and now activities move to the U.S. Senate...

Grower Spotlight: Charles Guidry - Erath, Louisiana

2007-08-09T09:22:04-05:00

Back when Charles Guidry was still a young, bright-eyed farmer in the 1980s, life was a lot different than it is today.

The Vietnam veteran from Erath, Louisiana, and his father were slowly increasing the size of the 100-acre farm that Charles' grandfather started. Jerome, Charles' young son quickly fell in love with farm life...

Kind-Flake Falls Flat

2007-07-27T13:07:32-05:00

After an intense buildup to what most Washington insiders thought would be a bloody battle, the much-anticipated Kind-Flake farm bill hit the House floor with a thud late last night.

The plan offered by Reps. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) was swiftly and soundly defeated by a vote of 309 to 117. Roll Call details.

On an otherwise politically divisive night, House Republicans and Democrats agreed on one thing: The Kind-Flake farm policy was bad for America...

FARM POLICY TRUTH SQUAD THOUGHT OF THE DAY

2007-07-27T10:29:27-05:00

As the House nears the final vote on the 2007 farm bill, the Farm Policy Truth Squad would like to offer its food for thought. In fact, we have more than one thought. Here are some things to keep in mind when casting your vote:

Where will 75% of the nation's wildlife go when farmers start selling to strip malls because they can't make a living? Maybe there's room in Reps. Kind and Flake's districts.

What's for dinner? Nothing under a Kind-Flake farm policy.

It seems "Kinda Flakey" to trade away America's number one export.

Feeding a nation for one-third of one percent of the federal budget seems like a pretty good dealtoo bad Kind-Flake don't agree.

Small Business Committee Chair Backs Farm Bill

2007-07-27T10:28:10-05:00

In a Dear Colleague letter to Members of Congress today, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) joined the growing voices of legislators supporting a strong farm bill and called upon her colleagues to Please oppose any attempts to weaken this important measureand support H.R. 2419.

In her letter, Velázquezwho serves as Chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee and Chairwoman of Business and Economic Development Task Force in the Congressional Hispanic Caucushighlighted that fact that...

New Study: Americans Prefer Home Cooking

2007-07-26T10:59:51-05:00

A recent New York Times article, "Catfish With a Side of Scombroid," informed readers that: "...the salmonella frequently detected in Asia-farmed fish came from fecal bacteria in the grow-out ponds. The fish, in other words, were bathing in human and animal feces."

Given the influx of negative newspaper headlines like this, it's no surprise that a recent Harris Interactive poll found nearly nine out of 10 Americans (88%) think it is important for the United States to be able to produce food domestically instead of relying on imports.

Farmers and Ranchers Unite Against Kind-Flake

2007-07-26T10:58:49-05:00

Farmers from across the United States are descending upon Capitol Hill in anticipation this weeks floor vote on H.R. 2419 in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Those farmers are actively working to have their voices heard. In a letter sent to all members of Congress today, major national, regional, and state agriculture originations and interests79 in totalcalled upon lawmakers to reject the Kind-Flake farm scheme and support the farm bill as passed in the House Agriculture Committee last week.

Letter From Ag Groups Against Kind-Flake

2007-07-24T13:39:43-05:00

Letter From Ag Groups Against Kind-Flake (PDF)

Kind-Flake Would Leave Farms in Financial Ruin

2007-07-24T13:34:39-05:00

The farm bill plan introduced by two extremist members of the House of Representatives, Ron Kind (D-Wis.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), would devastate rural economies and farms across the country, according to a study released today by the Agriculture and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M...

Wake Up and Defend Agriculture

2007-07-18T10:50:43-05:00

Most Americans start their days the same way. Get out of bed, shower, put on clothes (most likely cotton), and head to the kitchen for a quick bite to eat before work or school.

You might pour a tall glass of milk and sprinkle a little sugar in your bowl of Rice Krispies, or Corn Flakes, or Wheaties.

Unfortunately, some in Congress are trying to pass legislation that threatens to disrupt our morning ritual...

Call to Arms

2007-07-18T10:50:00-05:00

WASHINGTON (July 18)U.S. agriculture is under siege and the farm policies on which so many depend are close to being gutted. Rural America must stand up and be heard.

That is the startling message being delivered to growers across the country by their leaders in Washington.

"An amendment or series of amendments to eliminate farm policy will likely be offered when the 2007 farm bill reaches the House floor," the American Sugar Cane League told its members in a recent e-mail. "Everyone who depends on agriculture for their livelihood must get involved to make sure this amendment is defeated."

Please Sign Our Petition

2007-07-18T10:48:21-05:00

Please take a moment and click the link to sign our online petition that we'll be sending to congress. We need your support!

EWG Recklessly Ignoring the Facts

2007-07-17T08:16:50-05:00

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), my operation received about $110,000 in farm program payments in the 2005 program yeara lot of money by many standards. The insinuation of this is that we are rich farmers, rolling in the dough provided by hardworking American taxpayers. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

That amountone that was posted on a public website in what I believe to be a gross violation of my family's privacy, and that of thousands of othersby itself ignores some harsh realities that farmers across the United States contend with every year...

America's Economic Engine

2007-07-11T11:07:22-05:00

By: Bryan Hest, Steve Williams, Jerry Demmer

Farming does a lot more than just put food in our bellies and clothes on our backs. It literally is an economic engine that drives America.

Most people are shocked when they learn that the food and fiber industry employs 20% of the country's workforce and contributes $3.5 trillion to the U.S. economy.

Think about that for a second. We're talking about $3,500,000,000,000. That is larger than the economies of Canada and Mexico combined...

Grower Spotlight: Barry Evans Kress, Texas

2007-07-11T11:07:06-05:00

Many Americans wrongly think that farmers are uneducated and not tech-savvy. When it comes to Barry Evans, a cotton farmer from Kress, Texas, nothing could be further from the truth.

Barry is an early adopter of the latest farming technology, such as remote sensing, and he reads any article or study he can get his hands on about improving crop yields. That's because, as Barry says, continuing to increase efficiency is the name of the game in modern-day farming, where input costs are soaring but cotton prices haven't kept pace.

Cashing In on Harvesting Cash?

2007-07-11T11:03:49-05:00

The German Marshall Fund put out a press release on May 3 that proudly proclaimed, "Dan Morgan, former staff writer for the Washington Post, has joined the organization as a Transatlantic Fellow."

None of this would seem suspicious, except that Morgan continues to simultaneously report for the Washington Post. Since the May 3 press release, his byline has been attached to at least four articles about agriculture and the U.S. farm bill...

Thank You - U.S. Senator Max Baucus

2007-06-27T08:02:56-05:00

Standing Up For American Agriculture

Over the last few years, major newspapers and special interest groups have been busy demeaning our nation's farmers and ranchers...

Scottie Pippen Bullish on Conservation Payments

2007-06-19T10:43:33-05:00

WASHINGTON (June 19)-An investigation by FarmPolicyFacts.org into the new Environmental Working Group (EWG) farm subsidy database has uncovered a dirty little secret that radical environmental groups likely hoped would never surface.

Former Chicago Bulls star Scottie Pippen, mega-lobbyist Gerald Cassidy, and many other wealthy subsidy recipients in EWG's database are only there because they receive thousands in conservation payments.

A Safety Net for All Americans

2007-06-07T18:23:08-05:00

Recently, one of my neighbors in town was complaining about our U.S. farm program. He made the statement that he wished the government would subsidize his income, like it did for farmers. My response was that our farm program did subsidize his income. How? By keeping food costs low. This frees up income that can be spent on other things.

A Recipe for Disaster

2007-06-07T18:22:54-05:00

I recently saw a clever bumper sticker in farm country that read, "If you like foreign oil, you'll love foreign food." It's brilliant because it makes you think about something most people take for granted-feeding ourselves.

Grower Profile: Theresia Gillie (Hallock, Minnesota)

2007-06-07T18:22:25-05:00

Theresia Gillie is sick of the stereotypes of women on the farm.

She doesn't wear an apron all day, or can her own jams, or spend hours on end jotting down recipes. Theresia runs a 2,600-acre wheat, soybean, and sunflower farm with her husband, Keith, and her son, Bryce.

The Truth About Foreign Ag Subsidies

2007-06-07T18:21:45-05:00

Every Member of Congress today received a handbook highlighting the billions of dollars in subsidies, high tariffs, and other protections foreign agricultural producers receive around the world.

Will AGI Rule Foul U.S. Ag?

2007-06-01T09:58:30-05:00

How the Proposed AGI Rule Fouls American Farm and Ranch Families. The current AGI rule has been dubbed the "Scotty Pippen Rule" because it is designed to prevent extremely wealthy, non farmers, such as professional basketball players, entertainers, and media moguls, from receiving benefits under U.S. farm policy.

Washington experts should get outside the Beltway

2007-06-01T09:57:39-05:00

It must be fun to sit in an office in Washington and dream up zingers like "Milking the Customers: The High Cost of U.S. Dairy Policies," or "Ripe for Reform: Six Good Reasons to Reduce U.S. Farm Subsidies and Trade Barriers."

Retain Farm Bill Direct Payments

2007-05-24T09:57:13-05:00

The 2007 Farm Bill has taken center stage in Congress. Central to the Farm Bill debate is providing a farm safety net that will provide the United States with the food security it deserves. It is critical that the agriculture industry in North Dakota be both informed of proposals now before Congress and involved in the process of writing the new Farm Bill.