For Immediate Release

December 5, 2013
For more information: Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754

Release: Farm Bill Loophole Closure Under Attack

Washington, DC, December 5, 2013 – Ferd Hoefner, Policy Director for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, issued the following statement today regarding the ongoing farm bill conference negotiations:

“Rumor has it that a sticking point in the Title I negotiations is the payment limit and actively engaged in agriculture reforms that are in both the House and Senate farm bills.  It is ironic that as discussions proceed on cutting the food stamp budget by, in part, closing what many consider loopholes, the conferees are debating whether or not to close the biggest farm bill loophole of them all – the actively engaged in farming rules.  The Government Accountability Office has carefully and consistently demonstrated how the current rules allow massive abuse.  Both the House and Senate have spoken on the issue, with large bipartisan majorities voting to clean up the fraud and abuse by adopting common sense, carefully crafted reforms.  It is unconscionable that some conferees would try to reverse the reforms backed by a majority of their colleagues so as to continue the flow of millions of dollars, beyond what they are entitled to, to a relatively few mega farms.”

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities.

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