Wealthy continue to get farm subsidies, GAO finds

[DogPoundPup]

Source: McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — Millionaire farmers continue to pluck crop subsidies they don't deserve, federal investigators say.

At least 2,702 farmers nationwide received subsidies between 2003 and 2006 even through they were making more than the $2.5 million gross income cutoff. The unwarranted payments totaled $49 million and exposed enduring Agriculture Department management problems, investigators concluded.

"USDA cannot be assured that millions of dollars in farm program payments it made are proper," the Government Accountability Office investigators noted in the report issued Monday.

In one case, investigators noted, "an individual with ownership interest in a professional sports franchise received a total of more than $200,000 in farm program payments for 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006."

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/56401.html

[HowHasItComeToThis]

1. THAT IS HOW THEY BECAME WEALTHY

[mediaman007]

2. I think that Michelle Bachman (R-MN) benefits from the farm program.

[Rambis]

3. Locally in Iowa

I see payments to people I know all the time. I have never understood how they qualify especially when I know they are not farming currently?

[Rosie1223]

12. It might be part of the farm rental agreement

This probably isn't the case with the sports team owner, but if a land owner rents out his farm ground in a crop-share agreement, the land owner pays part of the inputs (seed, fertilizer, etc.) and receives part of the income -- crop sales and government payments.

[Metta]

4. Just the current thugs giving away the store. Happy karma.

All this stuff needs to end. Enough gorging at the public trough. People are going hungry/cold/without meds/etc.

[WriteDown]

5. I think Sam Donaldson benefits greatly from...

farm subsidies.

[fascisthunter]

6. the Wealthy are now Taxing Americans who aren't wealthy

the government has become their vehicle... fascism.

[Confusious]

7. And they probably bitched about their taxes

And oppose gov'ment handouts.

Bastards

[ohio2007]

8. turning food into gasoline was a disaster of an idea

I'm sure that plays a large part in 'no corn for oil' agribusiness

[jody]

9. I like to browse the Farm Subsidy Database at the link below.

http://farm.ewg.org/farm/index.php?key=nosign

[Two Americas]

10. "farmers"

It is annoying to have this article start out with "millionaire farmers continue to pluck crop subsidies they don't deserve." As the article points out further on, the problem is people gaming the system.

"In one case, investigators noted, 'an individual with ownership interest in a professional sports franchise received a total of more than $200,000 in farm program payments for 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.' Other rich and unjustified crop subsidy recipients identified by investigators included 'a top executive of a major financial services firm," a 'founder and former executive of an insurance company' and a 'former executive of a technology company.'"

[eilen]

11. Isn't "Millionaire Farmer" an oxymoron?

I know farmers and non of them are close to anything like being a millionaire, if indeed, these are actual farmers and not just some rich jerk that purchased a factory farm and have hired people to run it.