Ending Subsidies to Animal Agriculture
Agriculture Fairness Alliance is thrilled to be working with Lobbyists 4 Good to advocate for our interests in Washington D.C. AFA is an alliance of free-market libertarians, environmentalists, food & farmer equity advocates, and animal rights supporters. Our interests intersect in one important area: ending subsidies to animal agriculture.
This is why we are lobbying for the
AT-RISK FARMER & RANCHER DIVERSIFICATION & TRANSITIONING ACT. Establishing a transition path for animal farmers must happen before we can call for an end to subsidies.
AFA alliance members are concerned with corruption, exploitation and corporate welfare schemes that radiate from a rigged food system. AFA operates from four main principles
Fiscal conservatism - AFA believes subsidies undermine the free-market and unfairly deny Americans the right to affect supply and demand through consumer purchases.
Farmer Inequity - Subsidies and bailouts overwhelmingly favor large, entrenched agri-businesses, and hardly benefit small and medium farmers. The fundamental inequity built into farm subsidy programs would best be dealt with by ending subsidies altogether. Better use of taxpayer money would be for programs to help farmers transition to other businesses that serve growing markets.
Environment - Despite recent strides in reducing methane and carbon dioxide emissions across all industries in America, animal agriculture remains a leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions and is the leading cause of water pollution, water use, wildlife decimation, and inefficient land use. AFA believes the government has no business financing such destruction.
Food Inequity - The government selects certain food types to subsidize, and those foods end up costing less. A monopoly of power in the food system arises, and economically disadvantaged American consumers are left with a paucity of selection.
Alliance members come to AFA for different reasons. But they all agree that our government should not be in the business of propping up destructive, sunset industries with our taxes. AFA alliance members all agree that Americans working in these dying industries should have a way out: a path toward self-reliant, lucrative, and sustainable businesses.
Alliance members believe that as consumers shift to plant-based foods for whatever reasons, the resulting demand-shift should be reflected in reduced supply. In order to do this, subsidies must be removed. Together, AFA and Lobbyists 4 Good are taking the first steps.
Laura Reese is the Chief Operating Officer and the Strategic Lobbying Director for the Agriculture Fairness Alliance.