Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregen easily qualifies as a farm bill outsider – he’s part of the minority party in the U.S. House, represents the Portland area and is not a member of the Agriculture Committee. All the same, Blumenauer says he will soon file a farm bill that reins in excessive spending on crop subsidies and strengthens public nutrition programs.
“For too long the farm bill has helped the wrong people grow the wrong food in the wrong places,” said Blumenauer in a statement. “We need the right food and farm policy that will help all families and farmers, as well as the environment.”
In a two-page summary, Blumenauer says the farm program cuts benefits for vulnerable Americans and does not provide enough support for fruit and vegetable production or for small and medium-sized farmers. He would set a maximum payment per farmer and for overall spending on the largest commodity programs; toughen the requirement for land stewardship for farmers who want federal subsidies on crop insurance; expand federal resources so food stamp recipients can buy more fruits and vegetables and include fresh, local produce in school meals; and re-aligning USDA land and water conservation programs “to perform on a landscape level for maximum environmental benefit.”