Ligon, and many other tart cherry growers in northwest Michigan who produced a bumper crop this summer, will leave millions of pounds of cherries on the ground to rot. A federal marketing order will divert 42 percent the estimated 300 million-plus pound tart cherry harvest from going to the primary domestic market this year.

Thats because...

Federal Reserve says Midwest farm economy strong
(AP) - The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City says the farm economy remained solid and farmland values held steady during the second quarter in some Midwest and Western states.

The Fed's survey of banks in its 10th District says the outlook for farm income improved during the quarter as crop prices increased in the spring.

Originally posted by nasdack24k
reply to post by really

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It may be similar to socialism, but to give the food to charity is also quite logical in this situation.

Hard-line capitalists like to spout off how the "free market" keeps itself in check, yet they have to pull stunts like this in order for it to work.

Anyone in their right mind can see how this "socialism" would actually boost the economy because more Americans would be able to spend on more diverse products, as their most basic necessity(food) is less of a burden. They could then spend that money on services and goods produced by American workers...

That's why the American people should be outraged over this manufactured recession. This is still a land of opportunity and bounty. The people just need to not be prevented from being able to utilize it effectively by the marketplace gangsters.

Originally posted by nasdack24k
reply to post by really

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It may be similar to socialism, but to give the food to charity is also quite logical in this situation.

Why not give the food to food banks. Don't sell it, mind you, just give it.

Filburn harvested nearly 12 acres of wheat above his allotment. He claimed that he wanted the wheat for use on his farm, including feed for his poultry and livestock. Fiburn was penalized. He argued that the excess wheat was unrelated to commerce since he grew it for his own use.

Question:
Is the amendment subjecting Filburn to acreage restrictions in violation of the Constitution because Congress has no power to regulate activities local in nature?

Conclusion:
According to Filburn, the act regulated production and consumption, which are local in character. The rule laid down by Justice Jackson is that even if an activity is local and not regarded as commerce, "it may still, whatever its nature, be reached by Congress if it exerts a substantial economic effect on interstate commerce, and this irrespective of whether such effect is what might at some earlier time have been defined as 'direct' or 'indirect.'" Source

“In summary, we have record low grain inventories globally as we move into a new crop year. We have demand growing strongly. Which means that going forward even small crop failures are going to drive grain prices to record levels. As an investor, we continue to find these long term trends..very attractive.” Food shortfalls predicted: 2008 Source

“Recently there have been increased calls for the development of a U.S. or international grain reserve to provide priority access to food supplies for Humanitarian needs. The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and the North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA) strongly advise against this concept” July 22, 2008 letter to President Bush Source

Global commodity prices slumped in the mid eighties, triggering a five fold increase in farm subsidies in the USA and the EU subsidy to double. Pressure from commodity exporters inspired a decision to pursue Agricultural Policy reform at Uruguay round of GATT. It was lead by Under Secretary of Agriculture Dan Amstutz. [VP of Cargill] Source

The IPC (International Policy Council on Agriculture, Food and Trade) was created in 1987 explicitly to drive home the GATT agriculture rules of WTO at Uruguay talks. Source

"Freedom to Farm" legislation of 1996. Cargill played a significant role in pressurising the US government to move away from its farmer support programmes and eventually adopt the Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform Act [note this is the act that did away with stockpiling grain and other comodities] Source

Senate - March 28, 2000 "Freedom to Farm" becomes “freedom to fail” The bill has made sweeping changes in agriculture--it has produced one of the worst economic crises that rural American has ever experienced. tens of thousands of farm families are in jeopardy of losing their livelihoods and life savings. Source

July 26, 2002: Report Finds Fundamental Flaws in WTO's Agreement on Agriculture: Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy report argues that the Agreement on Agriculture fails to account for agri-business' monopoly over global agricultural trade. Source

2002 Effect of policies on farmers in USA and Mexico: Between 1995 and 2000, the prices US farmers receive for corn declined 33 percent, 42 percent for wheat, and 34 percent for soybeans. No wonder that since NAFTA went into effect 33,000 small farmers in the US have gone out of business— more than six times the pre-NAFTA rate. In Mexico, the price farmers receive for corn has plummeted 45 percent At least 1.5 million farmers have left their land. 900,000 people leave Mexico's land every year, a U.N. program says. According to a study by Jose Romero and Alicia Puyana carried out for the federal government of Mexico, between 1992 and 2002, the number of agricultural households fell an astounding 75% - from 2.3 million to 575, 000