Data shed light on farm subsidies

WASHINGTON – From Texas billionaires to Washington lobbyists, it’s no secret that wealthy people can get federal farm subsidies.

But now, for the first time, new Agriculture Department data make it easier to see exactly who benefits from the nation’s generous farm subsidy program.

Instead of having to sift through a web of corporations, partnerships and other business entities, the USDA has assigned a specific dollar amount to the individuals behind the businesses.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said the new data could affect farm bill negotiations this year as lawmakers consider reducing direct payments to farmers.

“It’s going to be harder than ever before to defend the status quo,” he said. “I think the defenders of big payments, their position is going to be severely weakened.”

The Environmental Working Group, a public interest group that has long pushed for more equitable distribution of farm subsidies, has compiled the information and will post it online for users beginning today.

The database includes about 358,000 beneficiaries who received $9.8 billion in crop subsidy benefits between 2003 and 2005.

The current farm bill, which expires Sept. 30, limits farmers to $360,000 in subsidies a year, but that ceiling is filled with loopholes that allow many farms to exceed it.