Submitted by FWU president Tina Carlin
Farm Women United (FWU), a grass-roots association organized by farm women fed up with decades of being ignored and silenced by the powerful, global, corporate politico-industry “special interests” currently controlling this nation’s agricultural policies, announced their denunciation of the 2018 Farm Bill, which passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate by large margins in this lame-duck session of Congress.
The dairy provisions in the Farm Bill are an insult. After years of failed dairy “Margin Insurance,” and years of refusing to address the unsuccessful policy by reopening the Farm Bill, politicians who only listen to National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) on dairy issues, slapped a new coat of paint on dairy “Margin Insurance,” patted themselves heartily on the back, and continue to shut their eyes and ears to the economic disaster facing dairy farmers. Rather than giving farmers a seat at the table, politicians chose to honor the dark deals of globalists who could care less about the pain, depression, insolvency, destruction, family break up, and death caused by their collective bad policies.
“The 2018 Farm Bill is the latest in a long line of Farm Bills that ignore farmers’ cost of production, promote the corporate globalist agenda, and further tighten the economic noose around the family farmer’s neck.” Said Gerald Carlin, former dairy farmer and Chairman of FWU’s Policy Development Committee.
The Farm Bill, which is over 80% SNAP Benefits, does nothing to ensure that the poor have access to pure, wholesome, correctly labeled food.
In view of the fact that dairy farmers have been marginalized and disregarded throughout the entire 2018 Farm Bill process, FWU strongly condemns the dairy provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill and demand that the 2018 Farm Bill be reopened, calling once again for multiple field hearings to get to the bottom of the corruption and failed policies that keep dairy farmers’ milk prices so far below the cost of production. It is long past time that Farm Bills be moved forward to treat the farmers who produce the nation’s food with the dignity, respect, and the financial reward they have earned from their labor.
For more information, or to join FWU, please visit www.farmwomenunited.org or visit FWU on Facebook.