The Case Against Farm Welfare

Writing at Forbes, the Cato Institute's Doug Bandow makes the case for kicking farmers "off the federal dole":

Government subsidies obviously aren't necessary for food production:  people have fed themselves and traded their surpluses for thousands of years.  The system doesn't help consumers.  Reducing supplies and imposing price floors obviously are bad deals for the hungry.  Paying off farmers might lower some prices, but steals back through taxes any benefits received by consumers.  Agricultural subsidies are designed by farmers for farmers.

But which farmers?  Not the idyllic family farmer.  The majority of payments go to farms with average annual revenue exceeding $200,000 and net worth around $2 million.

And from Reason.tv: "Agricultural Subsidies: Corporate Welfare for Farmers."