Mono-culture agriculture undermines the American famer

Starting on November 24, 2007, a United States Senate committee will start debating the Farm Bill. Considering that the Farm Bill affects our food, our economy, and immigration, one could argue that it's the most important piece of legislation under debate today. The Farm Bill was devised and implemented during the Great Depression. It is a spending plan that authorizes the allocation of crop subsidies, food stamps, conservation programs, and international food aid. Although all of these areas could be improved, the most damaging aspect of the bill current is crop subsidies.

Crop subsidies are payments to farmers. They were intended to protect small scale family farmers from drought and years where crop yield is low. However, due to wealthy agri-business interests, the majority of these payments don't help the small scale family farmer or the communities they live in. The largest subsidies go to large scale factory farmers of cash crops such as corn, cotton, and wheat. Companies that receive these subsidies devote their resources to growing only one crop.