Butter Lines In Norway

[JohnnyRingo]

22. I guess you and I came away with different opinions of the article's gist

I saw it as a good lesson in how and why government should help guide that invisible free hand of the market. Tarriffs, whle being a useful tool in levelling the table for some manufactured goods like steel and autos, may not be as effective for farm commodities. Manufacturing remains consistent while crops can vary from year to year depending on unpredictable forces.

I believe the US should head toward a more coodinated venture with government oversight of what we grow and how much. Huge swings in food commodity prices, like in Norway, can put small farms out of business during gluts, and spike prices during shortages that gouge the consumer.

Think Hank Kimble County Agent dropping by and suggesting to farmers they plant more wheat this spring by offering a few hundred bucks a square acre to prevent high bread prices, or perhaps telling Mom and Pop Farmer they plant something else like corn that offers a subsidy so the US doesn't have to dump their wheat overseas. Instead of a tarriff to keep Mexican tomatos out of the country, offer US farmers an incentive to grow more of them instead of future McDonalds french fies. That's pure socialism.

Our food supply is something that can't govern itself, nor does any farmer have a crystal ball to tell him what will be profitable next year. Allowing the govt to keep it's hand on the pulse of food production can keep supply and demand in stable balance. In the '70s an oversupply of dairy goods caused the govt to step in and give away cheese to the masses. The drop in prices when conservatives stopped that program drove small farmers to apply for shark loans and created a market for the Neil Young and Willie Nelson benefit concerts that continue today.