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| Farm
Subsidies The 1996 Freedom to Farm legislation simply has not worked. While the objective of the 1996 legislation was to make our farmers less dependent on government subsidies by phasing out many of the previously existing subsidy programs to make way for a more market driven approach, the 1996 bill did anything but that. As a result of low prices, our farmers have become more dependent on government subsidies received through annual emergency appropriations bills. These annual subsidies have acted as a band-aid, but they have not corrected what has proven to be failed agriculture policy. We need a Farm Bill that gives farmers a safety net, without excessive subsidies. The new Farm Bill, passed in February in the U.S. Senate, includes a counter-cyclical payment mechanism to provide adequate financial assistance to farmers during times of need when farm prices and incomes decline and less support when prices and incomes improve. Eligibility for this assistance is targeted to family farmers. I am hopeful the final Farm Bill will retain these features while working to provide tax fairness for farmers, improvements in crop insurance and expanded trade opportunities for agricultural commodities to help maintain Illinois' agricultural strength. |
SENATOR DICK DURBIN'S LEGISLATIVE
AGENDA |