Senator Chuck Grassley made the following comment after learning that an amendment introduced by Rep. Jeff Fortenberry to place a hard cap on farm payments cleared the House Rules Committee and can be considered during the House debate on the farm and nutrition bill. Fortenberry’s amendment is nearly identical to Grassley’s payment limit bill that he introduced in the Senate and was included in the Senate-passed farm bill.
“The House could do a lot of good by passing Representative Fortenberry’s amendment. The amendment mirrors the language I was able to get into the Senate farm bill with the assistance of Chairman Stabenow and Ranking Member Cochran. It makes the farm bill defensible and effective. It ensures that farm payments go to those who need them most – small- and medium-sized farmers who don’t have the resources of large farmers who can weather downturns without a big check from federal subsidy programs. These large payments, which we’re trying to eliminate, drive up land prices and keep young and beginning farmers from being able to compete. Large farmers are an important piece of the puzzle to feed and fuel the world, but taxpayers don’t need to subsidize them to get bigger. In addition, the reforms in this amendment will also help put an end to all the nonfarmers currently receiving farm payments. To top it off, the amendment saves the taxpayers money. It’s a win-win-win.”