The farm bill is onerous enough just from a federal spending/government dependency perspective, but even worse it hurts United states efforts to promote free trade abroad. Reuters explains:
The $285 billion farm bill unveiled by Congressional leaders last week after months of negotiations may set the United States up for a hornet’s nest of problems at the World Trade Organization.
If the plan for a massive new U.S. agriculture law is passed this week as expected, lawmakers face a promised veto from President George W. Bush. The White House says the bill does not sufficiently cut subsidies to wealthy farmers and ignores other reforms proposed by the administration.
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Agriculture officials say measures that could bring problems at the World Trade Organization include: rules benefiting U.S. sugar producers, a $4-billion standby disaster fund and a new cotton incentive similar to one the world trade court already has ruled illegal.
