Next his double - symbol good luck in January ' s Florida primary, former Massachusetts Leader Mitt Romney has surged ahead of his rivals to become the frontrunner in the Republican presidential primary. However, his electoral happiness and his previous statements regard agricultural programs have worried some farmers who tremor that the GOP candidate could threaten access to farm loans and needed federal farm subsidies. Over the past several months, the debate over farm subsidies has been reoccurring in the Republican Party. As House leaders stare to cut federal spending, the U. S. Department of Agriculture and higher federal agricultural programs have been on the congressional chopping block, with many farmers worried about austerity cuts threatening access to farm loans.
The results of the ongoing Republican primary are only heightening many of these fears. Currently, four candidates remain in the race; Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, and Ron Paul, with the two leading candidates, Romney and Gingrich, articulating opposing views on the future of agricultural loans and farm subsidies. Gingrich has long supported agricultural conservation programs and federal farm subsidies. He received an A grade from the Iowa Corn Growers Association, the only Republican candidate to receive such a rating, due to his views on farm subsidies, federal agricultural programs, and farm loans. Romney, on the other hand, has had a more mixed history of supporting federal agricultural programs.
Romney ' s recent political positions have tended to avoid issues like conservation and crop insurance and have avoided making concrete statements about the future of farm loans and farm subsidies. He has also tended to waffle on biofuels, a major concern for commodity farmers, stating that he supports ethanol production, but opposes indefinite ethanol subsidies. Recent statements by the Romney campaign have remained vague regarding specific programs affecting agricultural loans, with Romney spokespeople stating only, " Governor Romney believes that investing in agriculture is key to our economy and families. "
Romney ' s previous views on agriculture, however, seem out of synch with the generic platitudes his campaign has recently issued, leading many to question his commitment to farm loans and farm subsidies. When he ran for Massachusetts Senate in 1994, Romney called for the reduction of agricultural subsidies and the " virtual elimination " of the USDA to reduce the federal deficit. The elimination of the USDA could endanger critical federal programs, threaten access to needed agricultural loans, and destroy the fiscal security of millions of farmers.
The Romney campaign has attempted to distance itself from these previous political views. He has appeared to win back crucial agricultural constituencies ( receiving high marks from the Iowa Corn Growers Association for his stance on free trade ), but some farmers are still wary about his lack of commitment to farm loans and farm subsidies. With several major contests yet to be decided, Romney ' s views on farm support could make or break his presidential ambitions.
