Last week the House Subcommittee on General Commodities and Risk Management decided to extend the farm subsidies of the 2002 Farm Bill, which were widely viewed as excessive. Although some commentators predict that the full House of Representatives will find an extension unacceptable and at least moderately modify the bill, minor tweaking seems insufficient after decades of hurtful US farm policy. The best alternative, called FARM 21, moves strongly by phasing out direct payments by 2012, eliminating countercyclical payments by 2011 and mostly abolishing other subsidy programs (a brief explanation of these programs, which make up the bulk of farm subsidies, can be found here).

Sadly, those close to the House of Representatives suggest that FARM 21 is unlikely to pass. Yet a version of this bill came close to passage in 2002, gaining 200 of the 218 votes needed, and the anti-subsidy crowd draws support from a diverse group that includes both fiscal conservatives and “bleeding-heart” liberals. This year, with Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer, who voted against subsides in 2002, leading the House, an attack on subsidies could succeed.

Yet while removal of subsidies is a noble ambition on a number of counts, certain subsidy programs hurt Africa more than others. Thus a farm bill less burdensome to African farmers need not remove the entire institution of subsidies, but just certain subsidy programs. Direct payment programs, for example, have little impact on Africa, while commodity loans have an enormously hurtful effect. Commodity loans encourage farmers to overproduce by guaranteeing a high price for US farm goods, pushing down the real world price for the good. Another program, counter-cyclical payments, performs similarly, although its effects are relatively moderate (for more details, click here).

AFJN urges you both to oppose farm subsidies and, when doing so, to specifically target commodity loans and counter-cyclical payments. With your help, this year could well be the one for which African farmers have been waiting.

Join Oxfam and others in calling or writing your Congressmen on and before July 17th to tell them you oppose a continuation of commodity loans and counter-cyclical payments. This is especially essential if they hold an essential position, such as a seat on the House Committee on Agriculture.

To call: Dial the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and request to be connected to your elected representative, or call your Senator’s local office. Ask them to decrease the amount of commodity loans in the new farm bill and wasteful subsidies generally.