More Farmers Seek Subsidies as US Eats Imported Produce

The US government has traditionally paid subsidies to protect farmers who grow cotton, corn, rice, wheat and soybeans, protecting those products against overseas competition. But with many more vegetables and fruits from China flooding global markets, US farmers who grow specialty products are uniting to demand funds for marketing and research. The subsidized commodity crops require more than 200 million acres in the US, while the specialty crops require 11 million acres, but both generate about $50 billion in revenues. The farmers who grow specialty crops point out they do not want handouts and note that unrestrained subsidies increase prices for consumers, upset fair trade, support uncompetitive businesses, all of which decrease industry efficiency. The new demands from farmers who grow crops like garlic, strawberries or broccoli could herald an end to $15 billion in federal subsidies for corn and other commodity crops. – YaleGlobal