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Can US farms flourish with no subsidies

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by wizkid83, Jun 10, 2018.

  1. wizkid83

    wizkid83 Contributing Member

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    I actually kind of want to see what happens if no tariffs and subsidies happen. But question is I've anyways heard how much us farms rely on farm subsidies, any one know of actual numbers?
     
  2. No Worries

    No Worries Contributing Member

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    Other countries subsidize their agri exports or put tariffs on agri imports. The playing field is not level.
     
  3. dmoneybangbang

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    The subsidies aren't just for exporting, there's a reason why actual food shortages/famines haven't occurred again in America.
     
    Buck Turgidson, Nook and Amiga like this.
  4. sirbaihu

    sirbaihu Member

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    Yes, subsidies are to maintain our domestic food supply.
     
  5. Bobbythegreat

    Bobbythegreat Member
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    The depend on the subsidies to make a living growing what we want them to grow. Without the subsidies a lot of farmers would be forced to produce things that are more profitable which would cause all sorts of price instability when it comes to certain crops.
     
  6. NewRoxFan

    NewRoxFan Contributing Member

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  7. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    Can people live without eating?
     
  8. wizkid83

    wizkid83 Contributing Member

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    But that's where we're heading. So is the question more like what they grow if there no subsidy?
     
  9. AleksandarN

    AleksandarN Member

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    What is fascinating is how the Canadian approach to their Dairy industry using supply chain management(instead of subsidies) along with with barriers to entry domestic(limiting producers through licenses) and internationally (tarrifs) They produce what demand is. They don't really export milk so prices and supply is stable.
     
  10. Amiga

    Amiga I get vaunted sacred revelations from social media
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    No, thus government actions are an essential part of our society and is important.

    Can people live without healthcare? (ok, let's not go there in this thread).
     
  11. Bobbythegreat

    Bobbythegreat Member
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    You are absolutely right, if the government didn't do everything for people they would just roll over and die.
     
  12. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    The point is regardless of the corn lobby, the agriculture here is necessary and therefore it wii be produced.

    The purpose of subsidies is obviously to maintain supply and therefore maintain costs to consumers but without subsidies America is still a major producer of crops like wheat
     
  13. Bobbythegreat

    Bobbythegreat Member
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    Without subsidy you'd have a decrease in supply of certain crops which would cause an increase in price of certain goods until the prices were high enough to get farmers to start producing those crops in higher quantities, in theory....but globalization would likely cause crops from other nations to undercut the price at which farmers could make a living here so the short answer is that many farmers simply wouldn't make it. They'd lose their land and become unemployed. Globalization would have put many farmers out of business decades ago without the subsidies because of the competitive disadvantages American farmers face with the laws and rules they have to abide by that farmers in other countries don't.
     
  14. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    Healthcare and food are products of labor

    The government can guarantee freedom. If there aren't enough doctors it cant guarantee healthcare
     
  15. Amiga

    Amiga I get vaunted sacred revelations from social media
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    Sounds like gov need policy to guarantee enough DR!
     
  16. sirbaihu

    sirbaihu Member

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    According to free market logic, if importing corn or whatever from Russia is cheaper, that's what will happen, and American corn goes bye bye.
     
  17. KingCheetah

    KingCheetah Contributing Member

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    No, that's why we have subsidies for the poor so they can eat and grow food.
     
  18. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    We have subsidies to eventually keep prices down and stabilize supply

    Not just for farmers to make money. If subsidies go away price goes up and a lot of farmers will keep producing

    Its not as simple as if subsidies go away farmers go away. If subsidies go away the price dynamic changes
     
  19. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    The ultimate goal of subsidies is stabilizing food supply. Its bigger than farmers.

    Farmers in Iowa don't have that much clout in Washington. They don't have votes or money like that

    I know about the corn lobby but im referring to more mid sized producers
     
    #19 pgabriel, Jun 10, 2018
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2018
  20. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    Texas is still the leading agriculture state. A lot of agriculture states are poor southern states
     

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