352 Editorials Call For Farm Bill Reform

• CONTACT: Don Carr, EWG Public Affairs (202) 667-6982
• FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 11, 2008

WASHINGTON – February 11th, 2008. The Environmental Working Group released today an interactive map tracking the more than 350 pro-reform Farm Bill editorials published in the past year from across America. The map highlights how the 2007/2008 Farm Bill debate has brought unprecedented attention to—and criticism of—America’s wasteful, outdated system of farm subsidies. The current subsidy system benefits only a handful of plantation scale operations while most ranchers and farmers receive no aid. “Few issues have garnered as much editorial page criticism of Congress, a body that by and large has acceded to the subsidy lobby’s preferences for unlimited taxpayer support for the largest commercial farming operations in the country,” said Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group. “The map clearly demonstrates how Congress’ unwillingness to take on these special interests has only increased the clamor for change in the nation’s newspapers,” Cook concluded. Two main themes emerge from these editorials:

• Something must be done to stop the taxpayer-funded giveaways to wealthy individuals and operations that do not need support. Especially when so many other crucial programs such as nutrition and conservation are lacking critical funding.
• Ironically, the Bush Administration comes across as far more progressive and reform minded than the Democratic leadership of the House and Senate when it comes to matters of equity and fairness in subsidy payments. “Change” may be the buzzword of this presidential campaign cycle, but when it comes to the farm bill, Congress is hewing to the flawed, failed policies of the past.

Furthermore, the subsidy abuses paradoxically occur in the face of a worsening overall US economy, and an ‘overheated’ farm economy posting record high farm income and record high prices for many crops. The recently passed stimulus legislation will send a few hundred dollars to most Americans to help them cope with the strains of a weakening economy. Those same Americans will be shocked to learn that Congress is about to lavish tens of thousands of dollars per year on large-scale farming operations that are earning record incomes, largely due to the ethanol boom.