Farms subsidies again on the table?
Tuesday, October 11, 2005 at 8:27PM ■"Europe Entertains an American Offer to Cut Farm Aid," by Alexei Barrionuevo and Tom Wright, New York Times, 11 October 2005, p. C1.
Bush Administration is promising huge cuts in domestic ag subsidies (like two-thirds) if the Europeans and Japanese get off the snide on this hot-button subject.
The Doha "development round" of the WTO was so named because it was hoped that Old Core Europe, America and Japan would finally do what's right and give poorer Gap nations some real access to their food markets. For that to happen, we have to stop this insane practice of subsidizing our ag sector so heavily.
Critics say we ask too much of Europe, in effect promising to cuts our subs from $20b to $15b in one category, but asking Europe to come down to a similar level from a height of roughly $80b. Europe's talking more like $60b as the new floor.
I will hand it to Bush on this subject. As touchy as it is, he keeps trying.
And it's the right thing to do.
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