While the Senate farm bill that passed this week eliminates direct payments, Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill says behind the scenes there is a push-back from large corporate farms to keep them.
She calls it "huge gravy for those big operations" with contractual arrangements that make money off the government even when prices are high.
"It is totally unacceptable in this budget climate and we need to stop it. We are reforming it by putting in a more aggressive crop insurance program, which is still very generous. But it's going to save billions and billions of dollars in direct payments. And, frankly, I've really not gotten any push-back from the farmers in Missouri about ending the direct payments."
McCaskill, a Democrat, and Republican Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt voted for the farm bill. McCaskill says the attitude of the House, though, is hard to figure out.
"The parts of my state that really care about this are all represented by Republicans, who are in the majority in the House. And, for the life of me I can't figure out why they are unwilling to pass a farm bill."
Source: brownfieldagnews.com