Los Angeles Valley College Farm Subsidies Paper

In order to get an “A” or “A-“ on a position paper, it must: 1) Be well written; 2) Two complete pages in length; 3) Use evidence and logical argumentation; 4) Be properly cited; 5) Have proper endnote format; and 6) Involve the use of authoritative and diverse sources, amongst
other considerations.

There are a couple of ways you might go about writing your position paper. First, you could adopt the position of a particular organization or institution in the debate. For example, you could adopt the position of the American Farm Bureau, Environmental Working Group, Heritage Foundation, Club for Growth, Taxpayers for Common Sense, National Cotton Council, American Sugar Alliance, National Farmers Union, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, or Union of Concerned Scientists, CATO Institute, among others. Second, you could focus on developing a few specific arguments. For example, you could discuss the economic rationale, operation and impact of subsidies on risk, prices, innovation, production, land values, competition, the diversity of products and international trade, who wins and who loses from subsidies, their relationship to conservation, sustainable agriculture and/or organic farming, their impact on public health and environmental goals, their consistency with free market principles, relationship to rural banking and agribusinesses and rural communities in general. You could focus on all commodities or just a couple, such as sugar or cotton. Make sure you also consider the users of those commodities, such as the Sweetener Users Association. You will want to consult the US Department of Agriculture’s Farm
Service Agency and Risk Management Agency for further information on some of these programs. Much of your research will probably be internet-based, but you are encouraged to use other sources. Above all, you should use scholarly research articles. I want to see EVIDENCE-BASED arguments. Where evidence is lacking, I want to see logical argumentation.