Seldom is there a day that our national leaders don’t have to deal with unsettling issues about the Middle East at least in part because the oil produced in that region is so important to our nation’s economy and security. That is a fact that leaders in Washington should keep in mind as they debate the important issue of America’s agricultural policy.

As recently reported, the question of agricultural subsides likely will receive much attention as Congress tackles the long overdue topic of reining in our national debt and budget deficits.

It may well be that agricultural subsidies go the way of the one-horse plow. But subsidies should not disappear without a thoughtful discussion about what their loss will mean to the future of American agriculture.

Over the last several decades America has seen many industries leave this country to go to lands where labor and other commodities are available at a lower cost. Agriculture is still an industry that relies on two key commodities — labor and land. We can envision how American farmers will struggle to compete if agriculture becomes an industry where the winner is solely determined by the lowest price producer. Both today and tomorrow, there are places in the world that will have cheaper land and labor than America.

The world is a better place because we’ve allowed the forces of the free market to spread across the globe. Having a thoughtful discussion about how to nurture America’s agriculture industry should not be an excuse to return to protectionism. However, it is undeniable that the ability to produce food is a critical link in this country’s national security. Our food supply has been so safe and so secure for so long that it is easy to take it for granted. That is a testament to this nation’s agricultural policy.

As leaders consider changing that policy, there should be ample discussion about what assurances can be made that America’s food supply will continue to be as safe, secure and plentiful as it is today.

So, it’s good to have the discussion about farm subsidies, but it’s important to keep in mind the potential cost to national security if the work of American agriculture is shifted to other parts of the world.