‘There are no farms in Manhattan, but residents there have collected subsidies totaling nearly $9 million in the past seven years. Recipients also include Mark F. Rockefeller ($356,018) and David Rockefeller ($591,057). Yes, the Rockefeller family (Standard Oil, Chase Manhattan Bank, etc.).’ A recent report by the Heritage Foundation titled, The Rich and the Famous at the Farm Bill Trough illustrates that giveaways to agri-giants and fat cat bankers is the rule in D.C., not the exception.

The looting doesn’t stop with bankers and agri-giants, actual members of Congress and their families collect these subsidies as well.

Lynda L. Lucas, the wife of House Agriculture Committee chairman Frank Lucas (R–OK), collected $40,613

Senator Charles Grassley (R–IA), has collected $955,192 in taxpayer subsidies from 1995 through 2012.

Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), has received more than $5 million in crop subsidies

Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-Tenn.), has received nearly $3.5 million in subsidies.

The passage of the Farm Bill in the Senate yesterday will guarantee more of the same. The Agriculture Risk Coverage provision, also known as crop insurance, seems like a reasonable part of the bill that would protect farmers from damage to their crops from natural disasters. However this is hardly the case, crop insurance, is actually a revenue protection program that guarantees 89 percent of their Benchmark Revenue of the last five years. With prices averaging at record highs over the last few years any natural correction in the market by falling prices will be covered with your tax dollars. Given the opportunity to guarantee one’s income, who wouldn’t jump on such a gravy train?

Farmers with average incomes above the $250,000 marker make up about 10 percent of the subsidy recipients, however they receive 30% of the total payouts from crop insurance. Riceland Foods, Inc. collected $554,343,039 between 1995 and 2012. According to news reports, Riceland reported sales of $1.16 billion during 2011–2012. These agricultural behemoths do not need tax payer support. According the USDA’s Economic Research Service, “After adjusting for inflation, 2013’s net farm income, forecast at $128.2 billion, is expected to be the highest since 1973.”

Americans need to wake up. The fox is in the hen house and there are very few hens left to eat. We are threatened with force and violence by the government if we do not pay our “fair share.” Then the government takes this newly extorted revenue and gives it to their buddies. There is a term for what is happening here and it is most definitely NOT “paying our fair share,” it is called robbery. Simply because the IRS claims authority over you does not justify this theft.

When will enough be enough? How much more blood and sweat can the government squeeze from the American people to fill their own coffers before we say no? One thing is for certain, as long as they are able to rob us, they will rob us. It is up to you and I to expose the state for what they really are, a gang of thieves, writ large. We need to stand up and say, I am mad as hell and I’m not gonna pay you anymore! Peaceful resistance and working outside of the state run economy by buying local and organic or growing your own, will be our most valuable tools in the struggle to end this thievery.

“We don’t need a law against McDonald’s or a law against slaughterhouse abuse–we ask for too much salvation by legislation. All we need to do is empower individuals with the right philosophy and the right information to opt out en masse.”

― Joel Salatin

By Matt Agorist, REALfarmacy.com

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