Washington, D.C. – The Environmental Working Group welcomes the Obama administration’s willingness to work with Congress to find savings in the bloated federal crop insurance program and require the program’s subsidy recipients to carry out basic conservation practices.
Scott Faber, EWG vice president of government affairs issued the following statement:
It is great news that the Obama administration wants to look to crop insurance to find savings and meet deficit reduction targets as lawmakers work to pass a new farm bill. Over-generous crop insurance subsidies have hurt taxpayers, family farmers and the environment. We are also pleased the administration has shown support for linking conservation compliance to crop insurance. This will require farmers receiving insurance subsidies to implement simple measures on their farms that protect our water and land.
It is our hope that the full Senate will amend the committee-passed farm bill to reduce, not increase, insurance subsidies. Proposals to cap the amount of premium support big farm operations can receive would save more than enough money to avoid cuts to vital programs that feed hungry kids and protect the environment.
