http://www.one.org/blog/2008/05/14/farm-bill-same-bill-new-world/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:05:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 http://www.one.org/blog/2008/05/14/farm-bill-same-bill-new-world/#comment-550096 Brad Wilson Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:42:35 +0000 http://www.one.org/blog/2008/05/14/farm-bill-same-bill-new-world/#comment-550096 The information provided here is false. As a Tufts University article, The Paradox of Agriculture Subsidies (available online) sums up on page 21, leading econometric studies have found that subsidy elimination would only reduce most dumping (exporting farm commodities at below cost) by less than 5%, while the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy found (U.S. Dumping on World Agriculture Markets: February 2004 Update, available online) that dumping has often been 20-40%, even over 60% for cotton. So subsidies don't cause poverty and starvation, and subsidy elimination doesn't prevent them. Farmers also know from history that price floors and supply management are the key factors, not subsidies. Lobbying for subsidy caps or green subsidies still preserves dumping. We see than that much well intentioned justice work has been inadvertently pro dumping. We must say no and stop signing on to subsidy elimination proposals that remain pro dumping, that lack Price Floors, Supply Management, Price Ceilings and Commodity Reserves. We must get the facts, sign on with the National Family Farm Coalition (nffc.org) and stop endorsing well meaning but pro dumping groups, reports and legislation. Neither Oxfam nor Bread for the World provide accurate information on the points I've made here. The information provided here is false. As a Tufts University article, The Paradox of Agriculture Subsidies (available online) sums up on page 21, leading econometric studies have found that subsidy elimination would only reduce most dumping (exporting farm commodities at below cost) by less than 5%, while the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy found (U.S. Dumping on World Agriculture Markets: February 2004 Update, available online) that dumping has often been 20-40%, even over 60% for cotton. So subsidies don’t cause poverty and starvation, and subsidy elimination doesn’t prevent them. Farmers also know from history that price floors and supply management are the key factors, not subsidies. Lobbying for subsidy caps or green subsidies still preserves dumping. We see than that much well intentioned justice work has been inadvertently pro dumping. We must say no and stop signing on to subsidy elimination proposals that remain pro dumping, that lack Price Floors, Supply Management, Price Ceilings and Commodity Reserves. We must get the facts, sign on with the National Family Farm Coalition (nffc.org) and stop endorsing well meaning but pro dumping groups, reports and legislation. Neither Oxfam nor Bread for the World provide accurate information on the points I’ve made here.

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