Minor Thoughts from me to you

Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind wants to reform the farm subsidy program.

Mr. Kind, a six-term congressman, has introduced legislation that would drastically reduce farm subsidies while pouring more money into land conservation programs and rural development. He gathered 200 votes for a similar bill in 2002 and says he believes he has additional momentum this time around.

To no one's surprise, Mr. Kind's crusade has raised the hackles of the powerful farm lobby and its supporters in Congress, who describe his proposal as naïve, ill conceived and even dangerous.

He argues that if Congress is going to overhaul the farm program, it has to do it across all commodities, including the dairy industry. Mr. Kind said his farmers realized that change was inevitable and would welcome more money and programs for beginning farmers.

Under Mr. Kind's proposal, subsidies would be reduced and replaced with "revenue management accounts" that would function like an individual retirement account, with the difference being that farmers could tap into it to pay for small losses that are not covered by crop insurance.

Over the next five years, Mr. Kind's proposal would increase spending on conservation by $6 billion, anti-hunger programs by $5 billion, renewable energy by $1 billion and rural development, $700 million.

I'm intrigued by this proposal. I'm somewhat surprised that a Wisconsin democrat would propose changing the farm subsidy program. (This state practically worships at the altar of farm subsidies.) I'd also like to know more about these "revenue management accounts". Are they funded by farmers or by the federal government? What kind of conservation spending is being increased? What do the anti-hunger programs do? Is renewable energy just a codeword for increased ethanol production? If so, how is that different from the existing subsidy programs that give money to corn growers?

These are just a few of the questions that I'd like to have answered. As soon as I find out more, I'll tell you.