June 21, 2007 10:23AM 

# How Not To Rear Pigs (And Receive Money For Not Doing So) 

By [Sallie James](https://www.cato.org/people/sallie-james) 

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I have only so much contempt to go around, and my job calls me to expend most of it on U.S. government policies. But I have of late been so immersed in criticizing U.S. farm programs (and rightly so) that I have to remind myself of the insanity across the pond.

Or my friends remind me. My mate Ken sent me this [letter](https://www.cato.org/pubs/articles/johnson-hill_non-rearing_pigs.pdf) from a would-be non-pig-farmer from the U.K., anxious to feed at the European Union’s trough.

My favorite excerpt:

> “In your opinion what is the best kind of farm not to rear pigs on, and which is the best breed of pigs not to rear? I want to be sure I approach this endeavour in keeping with all government policies, as dictated by the EU under the Common Agricultural Policy. I would prefer not to rear bacon pigs. But if this is not the type you want not rearing, I will just as gladly not rear porkers.”

Read the rest, though. It’s worth the time.

##### Related Tags 

[Trade Policy](https://www.cato.org/trade-policy), [Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies](https://www.cato.org/herbert-stiefel-center-trade-policy-studies) 

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