Agricultural trade reform seen as best way to cut poverty

Published: 2004-02-24

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Reforming agricultural trade between the United States and other countries may be the best way to reduce poverty rates in other nations, said an official of the U.S. bishops. Trade has effects not only on poverty but on jobs and the environment, said Walter Grazer, who directs the U.S. bishops' environmental justice program. "We care about the poor," Grazer said, so the best anti-poverty program we have is to reform agriculture." He added, "We care about small and moderate-sized family farms in the United States," which can also be negatively affected by current U.S. agriculture policy. Grazer and Doug Norell, director of legislative services for Catholic Relief Services, spoke at a Feb. 23 workshop on "Alleviating Global Poverty -- Reforming Agricultural Trade," held during the annual Catholic Social Ministry Gathering in Washington. At issue are federal crop subsidies. The subsidies, most of which go to large corporate farming entities, allow U.S.-grown crops to be sold in other countries for less than what a local farmer can get for his crops. The depressed local prices can plunge the farmer into poverty.

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