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SENATORS INTRODUCE BILL TO CAP FARMERS' ANNUAL PAYMENT AT $125,000
Feb. 14, 2013
Agri-Pulse reports:
A bipartisan group of senators Tuesday introduced legislation (S. 281) that would place a "hard cap" on farmer's annual payments and "close long-abused and well-documented" loopholes in the program.
Sens. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, Tim Johnson, D-S.D., Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, introduced The Farm Program Integrity Act of 2013, which is similar to language included in the Senate-passed farm bill last year.
The legislation seeks to establish a per farm cap of $50,000 on commodity program benefits. Benefits associated with the marketing loan program, such as loan deficiency payments and marketing loan gains, would be capped at $75,000. The combined limit would be $125,000, or $250,000 for married couples.
"The Senate-passed farm bill made some important strides in this area, so it's important we retain and build on those provisions," said Grassley, a long-time advocate of tighter farm program payments.
The bill also aims to close loopholes that currently allow non-farmers to qualify for federal farm payments. Under current law, those who only provide management for farming operations are sometimes able to receive benefits.
Ferd Hoefner, policy director at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, said the bill would "put an end to widespread abuse in farm programs."
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