Tuberville calls for Farm Bill 'focused on farmers, not food stamps

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Yahoo News!/The Hill

Sat, December 21, 2024 at 5:53 PM EST


Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) encouraged incoming lawmakers to support more farmer aid in future bills considered by Congress. “It took a last second vote for us to give farmers a lifeline after losing 150,000 family farms in the last several years under Democrat rule,” he wrote in a Saturday post on the social media platform X. “I’m glad that we finally secured economic assistance for farmers, but we have to make them a PRIORITY next Congress by passing a Farm Bill that focuses on farmers, not food stamps,” he added.

Every five years, food stamps provided through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is reauthorized by Congress as part of the Farm Bill. The program benefits are redeemable at farmer’s markets, which supports state agriculture and gives people access to fresh food.

SNAP lifted 144,000 people above the poverty line in Alabama, including 65,000 children, per year between 2014 and 2018, on average, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. However, the state’s representative Tuberville said lawmakers need to support farmers with specific provisions in the recurring bill instead of relying on federal benefit programs.

The comments come after days of controversy over farmer aid additions to the end of year government spending package. Multiple GOP members said farmers deserved more support.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/tuberville-calls-farm-bill-focused-225354777.html

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He needs to watch "Grapes of Wrath" (or read it) and discover the point of what became the "Farm Bill".

[True Blue American]

1. In a way that makes sense. It would help control prices. But it is the first thing

I ever heard Tuberville make sense.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. The program under FDR

which initially began with the establishment of USDA offices in every county in the U.S. to teach good agricultural practices, was to also have the U.S. government buy excess crops (and subsidize farmers for not planting as part of introducing price controls) but THEN set aside those government-purchased crops (and anything made from them) as food for those in poverty.

History of the United States Farm Bill

Like Social Security, the "Farm Bill" was a New Deal program that the GOP has wanted to eliminate for almost a century.

[True Blue American]

19. And that is what happened.

I knew people who were given excess cheese, sugar , flour .and many other products. That was during the depression and many were starving.
My Mother would not touch it because it was welfare! I grew up with that same mentality. I think pride was the word she used. But we lived in a Farming Community. Family Farm until Grandpa grew too old to farm. He was a carpenter, too. Built houses. Gave my Dad his share and he went to work at the Defence plant.

[BumRushDaShow]

20. "Government cheese" is still a thing

back under Raygun -



(it "officially" went off the books in the 2014 Farm Bill)

[J_William_Ryan]

2. "a Farm Bill that focuses on farmers, not food stamps"

Typical Republican ignorance and stupidity.

Farmers depend on food stamps; migrant farm workers are eligible for food stamps, allowing farmers to pay sub-standard wages maximizing their profits.

[SunSeeker]

3. We're not losing family farms because of SNAP.

Fluctuating commodity prices to rising input costs are the main culprits. That will only get worse if Trump gets in another trade war. Larger farms are able to handle those problems better due to the efficiencies and advantages that come with economies of scale. That's capitalism.

What Tuberville is suggesting is welfare for family farms that can't compete with the big, efficient corporate farms. Why is welfare ok for family farmers but not ok for poor people?

[lonely bird]

9. Why?

Because, in his so-called mind, farmers generally vote Republican and poor people vote Democratic.

[SunSeeker]

17. Of course. nt

[Walleye]

4. Tommy just shoots off his mouth, it's not like he can actually write a piece of legislation

He is not capable of writing a bill, but he is capable of running his mouth

[Buddyzbuddy]

6. Snap AKA foodstamps are restricted to be used

On FARM Fresh food. Hey moron, it helps those in need of food and the farmers. Money well spent. I'll bet there are enough people that have in the past or currently utilize foodstamps that can vote that idiot out of office his next time around. C'mon I know you can do it.

[questionseverything]

7. Food stamps are good for the economy

For every dollar of fs spent $1.79 is added to the gdp

[Vinca]

8. Tommy's a first-class mind. If people can't afford to buy food, who are the farmers going to sell to????

[Midnight Writer]

10. He'd rather see food rot than to see it go to the needy.

I guess his vision for America is people going through dumpsters looking for food.

He is all gung-ho to protect the "unborn", but once they breath air? Fuck'em all.

[JohnnyRingo]

11. He's saying it has to be "either / or"?

No it doesn't. He would have been for cutting SNAP and other aid programs regardless the farm subsidies.

It's like saying we need to cut auto manufacturers subsidies instead of the gasoline tax. Or cut congressional pay raises instead of anything we spend money on. That one might make sense though.

[groundloop]

12. Tuberville is ignoring facts and creating his own reality

Many "family farms" have been bought up by huge corporate farms. One thing that's happening is when long time farmers pass away their kids just aren't interested in farming and sell out, it's happened in my family. Tuberville would somehow claim that Democrats are to blame for this.

[bluestarone]

13. This comment should surprise nobody. More PROOF that he is

A first class piece of shit!!

[Farmer-Rick]

14. The problem is the "families" he wants to support

Don't own the little farms that are practically gone. The "families" he wants to help are named Tyson Smithfield and Dole.

They brought you chickens fed on their own crap and milk with bird flu virus. They brought you mama pigs birthing in spaces so small they couldn't turn around. They brought you cattle and sheep feed on their own dead to more rapidly spread mad cow disease.

These are the "families" he wants to help. In exchange for letting our less wealthy die of starvation. Sounds like a plan from a psychopath.....wait it is.

[turbinetree]

15. Coming from a "guy" that blocked military promotions..............got it..........

and some of the military personnel are on food stamps............what a twit.............he really is a twit...........resign...........JFC..........

[NowsTheTime]

16. Seen this story before, expell immigrant farm workers which means farmers need to be subsidized.

....which many small farmers don't want government subsidies, they just want a fair price for their goods

[Botany]

18. Tommy, does it hurt to be so fucking stupid?

You see the commodities that the farmers produce prices are supported by people
buying them with food stamps.

[Captain Zero]

21. We should take all the firetrucks for

Small towns out of it too.

Let 'em buy their own.