What is a farm subsidy?

Farm Subsidy

Farm "subsidy:"

1. Monetary assistance granted by a government to a person or group in support of an enterprise regarded as being in the public interest.
2. Financial assistance given by one person or government to another.
3. Money formerly granted to the British Crown by Parliament.

It is money the government gives to farmers to help subsidise their farms. It is taxpayer money given to farmers to help keep the price of their goods lower.

• I'd like to add that while these funds were originally used to help the small family farmer (and I suppose still is to the few who have not been taken over or replaced by large corporate farmers), much of the subsidy money (our tax money) is now given to large corporate farmers and universities and colleges who engage in agricultural studies and production.

Note: This question was originally answered on the qustion here: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_farm_subsidiary

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