Organic Consumers Org: Alert: Stop the Secret Farm Bill!

[Patricia M. McBride]

A move in the right direction cutting farm subsidies for those making over a million cleared income!  BIG agriculture can't be allowed to change this bill in their favor.

 

Super Committee Writing Secret Farm Bill?! Tell Them to Cut Corporate Welfare Not Hunger and Sustainable Ag Programs!

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The Big Ag lobby suffered a shock when an amendment offered by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) to cut farm subsidies to anyone with an average income over $1 million cleared the Senate by a vote of 84-15. This proposal has yet to become law, but it is evidence that the momentum is not in Big Ag’s favor. Congress is ready to vote for a fairer Farm Bill in 2012 when the current law expires. Knowing that, corporate lobbyists working for the 1% are trying to prevent any more votes to cut corporate welfare.

Big Ag’s current strategy is for Congress not to vote on a new Farm Bill at all. They’d rather have the Super Committee, set to cut at least $1.2 trillion from the federal debt in November, shape the bill behind closed doors. Their idea is for the Super Committee to cut $23 billion over 10 years, mostly from conservation and nutrition programs that help the hungry, family farmers and sustainable agriculture, rather than save more money by adopting the White House proposal to save $50 billion over 10 years by ending all direct payments, most of which go to mega farms growing crops for polluting factory farms and unhealthy junk food.

Ag Committee Chairmen and Super Committee members are currently working on a secret Farm Bill that by all accounts will favor Big Ag over family-scale organic farmers and the swelling ranks of those who rely on food stamps and school lunch programs to survive the continuing economic crisis.

Tell Congress: Cut Corporate Welfare Not Hunger and Sustainable Ag Programs!



link:  http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_24260.cfm