Ag. Barons, armed and fighting Obama - who will win?

[ensho]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/04/us/politics/04farm.html?_r=1&th&emc=th


Among the audacious proposals in President Obama’s budget was a plan to save more than $9.7 billion over a decade by putting strict limits on farm subsidies that are disbursed regardless of market conditions or even whether the land is actively farmed.

-snip-

Some of the fiercest critics of farm subsidy programs say the new administration overreached in offering a proposal that could have cut off payment not just to large corporate agribusinesses, but also to medium-sized family farms that might not even be profitable, setting off a huge alarm in the powerful farm lobby.

-snip-

Within days, the National Farmers Union, which represents roughly 250,000 farm families, forcefully denounced the president’s plan and urged Congress to oppose it. The group’s board also raised the issue at a meeting with officials at the White House.

(what 'farmers' actually run the Natl. Farmers Union?)
-long snip-
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let the sun shine in

[scarletwoman]

1. "what 'farmers' actually run the Natl. Farmers Union?" That is THE question.

Time for some research.

I can't imagine that the small family farmer who would benefit from having Big Ag pulled away from the subsidy trough would object to these changes unless they're being thoroughly propagandized with misinformation.

sw

[ensho]

2. bingo

nt

[scarletwoman]

3. I started to research them, but my computer crashed on the NFU's "about us" page.

I'll try again when I have more time.

sw