WPC Farmers Face A Host Of Regulatory Pressures

The Washington Policy Center recently looked at the variety of pressures facing farmers and growers, outside of feeding a growing world population.  WPC’s Madi Clark says one of the top struggles is meeting consumer demand that food remain affordable.  Currently Americans spend 6.1% of their income on food at home, that figure increases the more consumers dine out.  That figure is the lowest in the world.

That expectation, and the fact that there are so many competitors nationally and internationally, can make profits hard to come by.

“I had a mentor in college that called it a ‘me too’ business.  So, it’s something that’s really hard to differentiate because I can grow potatoes but you can also grow potatoes.  And in agriculture somebody can usually fill the niche that you’re not willing to.”

In addition to those pressures, Clark cited a study looked at the regulatory language used by USDA and EPA.

“Had it stayed at those levels from 1997, Washington state if you apply that same regulation would have been $2.1 billion higher in production of agriculture because of the regulatory pressure of the USDA and the EPA.”

Clark says lawmakers can help, not by enacting new policy, but simply talking with farmers to find out what needs aren’t being met.  Click Here to read the entire report.

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