Media Contact Viveca Novak (202) 354-0111  OpenSecrets Blog  Of
Rice and Men (Part of the "Cultivating Support in Washington"
Series)  Become our fan on Facebook | More | Print  By Luke
Rosiak  July 12, 2007 | Crop subsidies are the most
prominent—and expensive—component of the farm bill, and it is a
point of contention among analysts whether there should be
subsidies at all. But beneath that debate lies a battle over the
distribution of government money among farmers, pitting
Southerners against Northerners, "commodity" crops against
fruits and vegetables, and big farmers against small ones. The
effects of subsidies are complex, so it's not always easy to
determine the winners and losers.  The farm bill's subsidy
program is known as the commodity title and includes provisions
to shield growers of certain crops from low or fluctuating
market prices. It also includes "direct payments," which are
disbursed to landowners based on the type of crop historically
grown on their property.  Family Farms Take on Corpor