Dean Says Government Should Work for Family Farmers

[Rose Siding]

PALO ALTO COUNTY, IA--Governor Howard Dean, M.D., criticized President Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress for working for big agribusiness at the expense of family farmers and the well-being of rural communities.

"This Administration is allowing its corporate contributors to set our agricultural and rural policy. The problems we are now seeing with mad cow disease are just the latest example of an administration that puts the interests of its corporate contributors ahead of the public good."

Yesterday, the Des Moines Register indicated because of severe budget shortfalls and lopsided payments to the largest corporate farms, Congress may look to balance the budget on the back of farmers. Dean called for targeting support payments, 70% of which go the largest 10% of farms, to family farmers, not corporate megafarms.

Fueled by lucrative subsidies and legislation that benefits big agribusiness, agriculture is becoming dominated by just a few large agricultural interests. "Our farm policy should be designed to help family farmers in need, not corporate giants," Dean said. "If we continue on the road we're on by rewarding big agribusiness with huge subsidies and allowing them to set farm policy, family farms will disappear and America's heartland will be dominated by the Smithfields and Cargills of the world," he added. "This will mean an end to the middle class in rural America, lower wages and higher poverty for our rural citizens. It will mean riches for a few at the expense of regular people."
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According to Dean, his administration will work toward restoring competition in agriculture by enforcing antitrust laws, fighting price discrimination and enacting a packer ban. And Governor Dean will support meaningful limits on farm payments so that they help farmers who need them, not corporations who don't. Instead, he will fund important programs like Tom Harkin's CSP.

http://blog.deanforamerica.com/archives/002939.html#more

[TeacherCreature]

1. Good for him

Good policy. He is courting Harkins endorsement and I hope he gets it!

[dd123]

2. I absolutely agree with this 100%.

What is the possible reason we are subsidizing large corporations? I just don't get it.

[farmbo]

3. Hot damn...there's my boy!

70% of agricultural subsidies go to just 10% of the farms and corporations... and a good percentage of that goes to the Bush/ Cheney campaign.