A Message from Americans for Prosperity of NC

This week, the Senate will begin consideration of S. 3240, the massive farm bill that sets agriculture and food policy. Like its predecessors, the 2012 farm bill is shaping up to be nothing more than a big handout to agri-businesses.


This farm bill continues Washington’s reckless, runaway spending. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the Senate farm bill will cost $969 billion over the next decade. We simply can’t afford to continue such out-of-control spending.

Although S. 3240 repeals some of the current price and income support programs, it replaces them with new programs that essentially do the same thing. Under the proposed “shallow-loss” program, Congress would guarantee that a crop producer’s revenues will never drop below 90% of the average revenues they received over the previous five years—a program that will be especially expensive given the high prices for commodities like corn and soy beans in recent years.

The bill also spends more on other subsidies. It provides unlimited funds for crop insurance, and it greatly expands funding for agricultural research and development.

The federal government should not be in the business of guaranteeing people’s income or providing lavish subsidies for agri-businesses. For a more on the Senate farm bill check out AFP’s recent letter of opposition.

And be sure to keep the heat on your representatives in Congress to cut wasteful farm subsidies!