Growers and Grocers

The United States government should revamp the Farm Bill in 2007 to promote sustainability instead of obsolete crop subsidies, according to activist group American Farmland Trust.

From the press release:

AFT proposed a two-part safety net. Some $5 billion a year would be paid to farmers and ranchers who practice land, water and wildlife conservation on their land. The second part of the net would be programs to assure farm income, such as crop and revenue insurance.

The anti-environmental stance of the current administration makes the AFT initiative unlikely, but hopefully some elements will find their way into discussions about the upcoming Farm Bill changes. The AFT will compete with other activist groups who wish to steer the Farm Bill in a direction that supports their goals. But environmental issues should concern us all; only fools believe that the environment can support modern agribusiness for much longer. It makes sense to reward responsible farmers, in much the same way that city-dwelling hybrid car owners enjoy tax benefits and the use of carpool lanes.

Thanks to progressive news site Common Dreams for the story