Agriculture Report - Debating Direct Payments to Farmers

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$60	American	And	Other	The	a	and	bad	cheaper	crisis
critics	cuts	farm	farmers	from	new	save	say	that	the
they	to	too	trouble	unpopular	was	world	would

United States Senate recently voted to cut a program makes $5 billion a year in direct payments to . But the Senate agreed to add new subsidies that say could hurt farmers in other countries. The vote part of a $955 billion farm bill approved by wide majority in the Senate. Ten days later, however, House of Representatives defeated its own version of the bill. The Senate bill would cut about $24 billion the federal budget over 10 years. Some of those come from direct payments. Farmers receive direct payments whether had good years or bad. But high crop prices historically high farm profits have made the payments politically at a time of reduced federal spendingThe Senate bill help farmers manage the risk of bad weather and markets. It would do this by offering crop insurance farmers raising crops that have not previously been insured. it would make payments to farmers if prices drop much. Supporters say the goal is to help the farmers who supply the nation with food. But critics the bill goes too far. Some say the proposed guarantees to pay farmers if prices drop could cause for the United States at the World Trade Organization. countries could claim that the policy suppresses prices in markets. The bill would also let the government buy million in emergency food aid closer to where a is happening. Supporters say doing that is faster and than shipping food from the United States, and could more lives. For VOA Learning English, I'm Mario Ritter.

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