High food prices may put farmers on a subsidy diet

Congress finds itself under pressure to halt recent incentives to produce ethanol, and to cut farmers' subsidies.

By Nicole Gaouette and Richard Simon, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
May 2, 2008

WASHINGTON -- With high food prices prompting grocery-store apologies to customers and raising fears of starvation in impoverished countries, Congress suddenly faces renewed pressure to cut subsidies to the wealthiest farmers and incentives for ethanol production.

The American farmer, long an untouchable political icon, has even become something of a political embarrassment on Capitol Hill, with President Bush earlier this week demanding an end to crop subsidies for "multimillionaire farmers."

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