Farm bill #5: EWG, NASC, and other resources

I.  The Environmental Working Group

It just released its farm subsidy database for 2015 and 2016.

The new information reflects the demands of the 2014 farm bill.

The findings:

• $32.2 billion is the total cost of federal crop insurance, disaster, and conservation programs.
• $14.5 billion of this went mainly to growers of corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton and rice.
• $12 billion went to crop insurance subsidies.
• $3.7 billion went for conservation.
• $2 billion went to disaster assistance.
• Deline Farms Partnership was the #1 recipient with $4 million in commodity subsidies.
• The Navajo Agricultural Products Industry was #2 with $2.3 million.

The website is interactive.  You can click on states and counties.

Tomkins County, New York, where Ithaca is, got $25 million in federal subsidies.

It’s fun. Check it out.

EWG also released it’s Double-Dipping report on how taxpayers are subsidizing farmers twice for crop losses.

II. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)

It organized dozens of farm organizations to sign a letter calling for greater investment in agriculture through the farm bill education-and-research title.

It also released An Agenda for the 2018 Farm Bill.  This focuses on investing in:

• Beginning farmers and ranchers
• Conservation
• Regional food economies
• Plant research
• Risk management

III.  Representative Chellie Pingree (Dem-Maine) is also working on farm bill issues.  

Her particular focus is the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act:

• Expands access to farmland
• Ensures equitable access to financial capital and federal crop insurance
• Encourages commitment to conservation and stewardship

Many people are working on farm bill reform.  It needs it.