Taxpayers for Common Sense Action
Payment Limitations to Agribusiness.
The farm bill directs the greatest share of resources to those farmers least in need of government assistance. The General Accounting Office has reported that nearly half of all recent government payments have gone to the largest 8 percent of farms.
Rep. Nick Smith (R-MI) offered an amendment to the Farm Security Act of 2001 to set a federal limit of $150,000 on the total amount of payments and gains that a person may receive for one or more covered commodities during any crop year. According to the Congressional Budget Office, this amendment would save taxpayers at least $1.2 billion.
The House rejected the Smith amendment.