[Dialogue] The Future of Farming

[Harry Wainwright]

 <http://www.nytimes.com/>  <http://www.nytimes.com/> The New York Times
<http://www.nytimes.com/> 

 




  _____  

February 17, 2007

Editorial

The Future of Farming 

Six months ago, it was an even bet whether there would be a new farm bill in
2007. The big commodity farmers, and the interest groups that represent
them, were hoping that Congress would simply extend the 2002 Farm Bill, a
regressive grab bag for big agriculture. These hopes have now been
disappointed. Mike Johanns, the secretary of agriculture, has unveiled his
proposals for a new farm bill, which on the whole seems remarkably
promising.

Mr. Johanns seems to have little desire to protect entrenched subsidies and
a very strong desire to improve the environment. The question is whether
Congress will listen to him or to the lobbyists. 

The problems with the current farm subsidy system are legion. At home, it
drives small farmers out of business and compromises the environment.
Abroad, it penalizes third-world farmers and jeopardizes international trade
talks. 

Mr. Johanns aims to change much of that, first by ending payments to farmers
with an adjusted gross income above $200,000. There will also be money for
small farmers and growers of specialty crops, loans and grants to poor rural
communities and help for young farmers who want to get started in an
industry that has grown gray with age.

The bill also calls for $7.8 billion over 10 years to help protect the
environment - which makes it the most generous conservation program the Bush
administration has offered in the last six years. The bill would make it
easier for farmers to enroll in conservation programs and protect
conservation acreage from the urge to plow it up when prices skyrocket. The
bill could also turn out to be one of the administration's more innovative
energy initiatives. Implicitly recognizing that corn ethanol needs no more
subsidies, it offers incentives to grow grasses that could be turned into
another fuel called cellulosic ethanol. 

There is much to applaud in this bill. Then again, there was much to like
about the last farm bill, and we know what happened to that. Congress left
many of the old subsidies intact, and failed to nourish the conservation
programs. We are hoping the new Congress will have the good sense to reverse
the policies that have done so much damage to rural America, and in doing so
offer hope to its small farmers.

 

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2007 The New York Times Company <http://www.nytco.com/>  

 

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