Earl Blumenauer: “the farm bill in its current form is a missed opportunity to strengthen family farms while reforming American…”

“the farm bill in its current form is a missed opportunity to strengthen family farms while reforming American agriculture. The bill coming out of committee is absolutely the least that can be done. Long overdue support for specialty crops is welcome, but a relative drop in the bucket in terms of overall agricultural spending. Conservation is honored more in word than deed, and the massive payments to the wealthiest few farmers are virtually unrestricted. The new adjusted gross income limit of $900,000 is almost meaningless, the proof being that it only saves a few million dollars. There is no meaningful limit on rice and cotton farmers, and it sweetens the outrageous deal for Big Sugar. It is sad that it continues to shortchange the family farm, forcing them to compete with heavily subsidized large operators who will continue to buy them out, making it harder for most farmers to make a living. Luckily for people who eat and people who farm, there still is a chance for reform. And I urge my colleagues to carefully examine the bipartisan amendment from Congressmen Kind, Flake, and Ryan.”