What have been three major criticisms of agricultural policies over the past half-century?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

First, farm programs have confused the symptoms of the problem (low farm product prices and low farm incomes) with the causes of the problem, which involve resource allocation. There are too many people and too many resources involved in farming and government programs have encouraged this development. Second, the major benefits from farm programs are misguided because low-income farmers often receive small government subsidies while high-income farmers often receive large government subsidies. This result occurs because subsidies are based on the amount produced, not on whether a farmer is poor. Price supports also increase land values and become a subsidy for owners of farmland even if they rent their land to others and do not farm. Third, the various farm programs of the Federal government have often offset or contradicted each other. For example, funding for research to increase productivity is contradicted by farm policies designed to reduce production through acreage allotment programs.