Hedgetrimmer,
I do despise the WTO precisely because they are inclined towards preserving the outdated and more publicly harmful socialist policies rather than enforcing what should be "free and fair trade."
U.S. farmers are receiving corporate welfare to not farm- let's call a spade a spade- and that costs the taxpayers billions every year. Obviously, there is a public policy issue here: Do we want to at least preserve their property and equipment so that in the event they are needed in the future, they will be able to provide the food the country needs, as well as the issue that by keeping these farmers around without them having to actually work, will continue to keep food prices low at the grocery store.
With free and fair trade, the CRP's (farm subsidies) will have to increase just to put more fields to idle. In short, the world market in food is beginning to work its slow but methodical kill on farm subsidies. Continuing on this path, the data shows clearly, that the U.S. taxpayer may be able to buy a loaf of bread for $3.00 at the market, but they'll be paying $1.00 a day in more taxes to be provided that $3.00 loaf of bread.
If it were up to me, I'd eliminate all taxes any farmer pays on anything to accomplish the same thing, but politically, the farmers will riot in the fields, calling such a thing "unfair". Hey, with no taxes they;d actually have to work- unreal how screwed up things actually are.
As it was said 200 years ago, I'll paraphrase it here: "Once certain classes find out how to rape the treasury- democracy is over."