Cato Podcast The Growing Farm Subsidy Boondoggle
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May 7, 2026 
Clark Packard, trade and agriculture policy researcher, and Chris Edwards, fiscal expert on government spending, dissect booming US farm subsidies. They trace how relief turned into sprawling supports. They explore who wins, tariffs that backfire, crop insurance problems, sugar protectionism, and why separating SNAP from farm legislation could curb log-rolling.
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Tariffs Hurt Farmers On Both Ends
- Tariffs raise input costs and trigger retaliatory tariffs that typically hit U.S. agricultural exports like soy.
- Clark Packard explains tariffs on imports (e.g., fertilizers) and foreign retaliation both squeeze farmers' margins.
Fertilizer Duties Raised Prices Nearly 30 Percent
- A 20% countervailing duty on fertilizer imports from Morocco raised farmer prices about 28–29%.
- Clark Packard recounts the case where dominant domestic producers pursued duties, tightening supply and raising costs.
National Security Claims Mask Protectionism
- 'National security' arguments are often used to justify protectionist agriculture policies.
- Clark Packard warns this framing becomes a catchall rationale for tariffs and import restrictions favored by political donors.