CRP is a tough one to define…. One group will say “they paying people not to plant their land”. Which is a fraction of the truth but yes, there’s some truth to that statement.
There’s no business or sector of society without massive government influence, subsidies, regs, etc etc. UNFORTUNATELY.
Tax what u want less of and subsidize what u want more will still pass any economics 101 discussion. The free market of supply & demand impacting prices can still apply.
So…. We spend $1.8 BILLION across the whole country on CRP…. I’m maybe a “8 or 9 out of 10” when it comes to fiscal conservatism…. With that said:
1) $1.8B across the country is a TINY expense. IS IT WORTH IT??????….. here’s some benefits…..
2) it increases commodity prices for farmers by lowering the supply. Is that artificially lowering it? To some extent- sure. IF it’s done on our most vulnerable soils that are lost + it keeps farmers selling commodities: MORE PROFITABLE, there’s VALUE in that, significant.
3) the ECONOMIC value CRP brings in hunting revenue alone… more game from birds to big game (even to fishing with cleaner waters) to whatever….. absolutely positively- that alone makes the program pay for itself in multiples. “Could or should there be other ways or let the free market dictate this?” Possibly…. But there’s zero ? That BILLIONS of hunting expenditures annually ripple through the economy due to CRP. Absolutely positively pays for itself right there alone & then some.
4) water quality & clean up…. Pays for itself again right here. We spend untold billions on pollution, clean up & incalculable amounts in health impacts from water pollution issues
5) top soil loss…. AGAIN this program pays for itself with this one item as well. Iowa for example loses (data to support this) over $1B a year in top soil loss. & that doesn’t include the fertilizer value or the clean up costs that go with it. If Iowa had all of its most vulnerable soil in CRP & kept the best ground out of CRP- this would be best bang for the buck in this state. But $1.8B nationwide & how much soil is saved & built from CRP… pays for itself again.
6) this RESERVES soils for a later date. If we need the production, say during a catastrophe or war or some weather event …. We saved & built soils we later can use. Soils that wash at high rates. Why even Iowas “flat black dirt” - HALF is gone in 150 years. HALF!!!!!!!! By slowing or reversing some of that- we are helping the future generations.
7) the $1.8B spent…. It’s not just “thrown out the window”… it goes into farmers & land owners operating budget….. they pay income taxes on those checks - so gov gets about a 1/3rd back! Then- they can use that pay for farm expenses, float operation, pay employees or buy equipment. All of which keep rippling through economy &
also create more tax revenue back. I fully realize gov spending $ has waste & inefficiencies…. But - $1.8B (small $!!!!) is injected right into the farm economy & keeps moving through economically.
8) none of this accounts for the ecosystem values. The pollination that improves food supply. The beauty of it. The little creatures that thrive & survive due to it. The carbon it sequesters. The fact that it gives a SLICE back to what was vast prairies that have all but been completely removed and destroyed. A land of bare corn & bean monocultures filled with pesticides…. That’s ALL some groups want. I farm- I get it. But a TINY TINY fraction of diversity…. Cmon …. This ain’t a hill to die on. Not a hill that costs $1.8B nation wide & pays for itself 5-10x over if we follow the butterfly effect of economics & value it creates. This is honestly an EASY one vs a gazillion frivolous expenses we MUST eliminate. This ain’t one that should go and I believe that to my conservative core.
