State, Local Governments Get Millions in Federal 'Farm Subsidies'

[Geee]

CNS News:

The historic purpose of the farm bill was to "ensure a stable food supply" and "to preserve the family farm." But, when issuing our The Federal Transfer ReportTM- Farm Subsidies & The Big Dogs, OpenTheBooks.com found that some of the largest subsidies were received by government in fiscal years 2008-2011. Federal farm subsidies have grown to such an extent that Uncle Sam's smaller cousins- who aren't traditional farmers, but smaller units of government- are receiving millions.

 

For example, state governments occupied two of the top six highest farm subsidy recipients:

 

- Number one: $8.541 million flowed to the Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation and beat all private sector farm entities.

 

- Number six: $3.734 million flowed to the Washington Department of Natural Resources and was sixth on the Top 20 Recipients List.

 

From our report: DNR Trust Land Management- Montana has received $8.541 million from 9,896 individual payments under the rules of the federal farm subsidy programs during 2008-11. Payments result from such programs as the Crop Disaster Assistance; Counter-cyclical commodity payments for sunflowers, canola, mustard, sorghum, wheat, barley, corn and oats; conservation reserve programs- annual land rental; DCP- Direct payments; CRP- Annual Payments; Acre Direct Payments; CRP- practice incentive; and even $78.61 in "interest penalty."