The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s report on the Bush Administration’s food and agriculture policy clearly demonstrates the complexities of the agricultural economy and the need to view policy decisions in the largest context possible, not in the vacuum of special interests. AMI is pleased with this broad view of the agriculture industry and its importance to the U.S. economy.
The report, titled Food and Agriculture Policy: Taking Stock for the New Century, acknowledges that past policies should be rethought in light of the enormity and the pace of changes in the farm and food systems in the last century.
The report makes clear that current farm programs misallocate resources and contribute to economic inefficiency. We fully concur with the report's conclusion that our national agricultural policies should recognize that the marketplace is the best guide for allocating resources and provides the most objective reward for efficiency and good management. That said, we also recognize that acceptance of this principal does not rule out providing help when unexpected events create legitimate need.
We hope that the spirit embodied in this report guides the development of future agriculture policymaking.