A true "safety-net": a fresh approach to federal farm programs.

• Author: Lugar, Richard
• Position: VIEWPOINT

ATTEMPTS TO REFORM U.S. farm subsidies have continued to fall short because current policy has been sold as a safety net. In fact, the current program has only benefited a select few while leaving the majority of farmers without support in bad times.

I've advocated a FRESH approach that provides a true "safety-net" for all American farmers and makes significant strides to alleviate hunger, improve our environment, promote energy independence, and reduce the budget deficit. The Farm, Ranch, Equity, Stewardship, and Health (FRESH) Act does this through a revenue insurance program for farmers regardless of what they grow or where they farm.

The FRESH approach costs less than is budgeted for agricultural programs, saving taxpayers $4 billion. Conversely, the renewal of current policy being considered by Congress is over-budget and requires deceptive budgetary maneuvers to fund it. The savings from reforms would allow us to provide billions of dollars more in new investments to assist farmers with conservation practices, develop renewable energy, promote broader rural economic development, expand access to healthy foods for children and consumers, and assist more hungry Americans.

Agriculture policy is too important for rural America, and too costly for taxpayers, to continue the current misguided path. In the years 2000-05, the farm sector received $112 billion in taxpayer subsidies, but only 43 percent of farms received payments. The largest 8 percent of all farms received 58 percent of the payments...