Farm Subsidies

I was surprised by this and made a little angry by it.

Maybe its because I'm Irish and have an inbred loathing of absentee agricultural landlords. Maybe I just loathe the wasting my hard-earned tax dollars. Whatever it was - that little map got my blood up.

I'm a fan of the family farmer but in no way do those people in Manhattan qualify as yeoman farmers in the Jeffersonian sense. How hard would it be to simply re-craft the laws to make only farmers with an income under $500,000 and who live within 2 miles of their farm property eligible for subsidies? I hate to be bringing common sense to a governmental program but come on!

Some may ask "why have the farm subsidiaries at all?" Why not let the market forces work their magic? I can understand that point of view but I do see value in helping the small family farmer. They do need assistance in competing with the big corporate farming and dairy combines. If just for the peace of mind of knowing that not every glass of milk I drink or steak I eat comes from a cow penned into an awful factory existence is worth it for me.