Feds tighten belt by cutting agriculture reports

[bloomington-lib]

Source: AP

When farmers need to check honey prices so they can decide whether to sell, there's been a report for that. And when catfish and sheep farmers want to check production in their industries, there've been reports for that, too.

The U.S. Agriculture Department has kept tabs for decades on a wide range of agricultural industries that generate billions of dollars for the U.S. economy. But that's about to change, as the agency eliminates some reports and reduces the frequency of others to save millions of dollars in tight budget times.

The reports influence the price and supply of many products that end up on American dinner plates. Without them, some farmers say they'll be left guessing how much to produce and when to sell. Food processors and traders also will have less information when making decisions about buying and selling.
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Roger Barlow, executive vice president of Catfish Farmers of America, said the annual report on his industry tells his organization's 800 members how many millions of tons of catfish are being produced in how many acres of water, how much is being held by processors and what prices are being paid. The information determines prices and guides farmers as they decide to expand or cut back production, he said.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/feds-tighten-belt-cutting-agriculture-reports-070216123.html

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With everyone just "guessing", food prices can be whatever the bankers tell us it is.

[pam4water]

1. You can't have a fair market without real information. Yet another more to push us further to

an monopolist market.

[bulloney]

2. My thoughts the same.

When I've talked to Farm Bureau types who boasted they're "free market" supporters, I tell them about the concentration of agricultural markets and how these same companies have set up a revolving door between them and the government agencies that protect and regulate their industry. Maybe now they'll see what I've been saying.

[angry citizen]

3. Small government

Many of these people voted for smaller government. This is what that looks like.

[Javaman]

4. Monsanto, Cargil and Agracorp, just jumped up and clicked their heels. nt