Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) have introduced the “Farm Program Integrity Act of 2013,” which would place a hard cap on the farm payments an individual farmer can receive in a year.

P. Scott Shearer, Vice President

February 15, 2013

1 Min Read
Hard Caps on Farm Payments

Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) have introduced the “Farm Program Integrity Act of 2013,” which would place a hard cap on the farm payments an individual farmer can receive in a year.  The legislation would establish a per farm cap of $50,000 on all commodity program benefits, except those associated with the marketing loan program (loan deficiency payments and marketing loan gains), which would be capped at $75,000.  The combined limit would be $125,000, or, for married couples, $250,000.  The $50,000 cap would apply to whatever type of program is developed as part of the new farm bill.  The bill also would close loopholes that allow non-farmers to qualify for federal farm payments.  The 2012 Senate-passed farm bill contained similar language regarding farm payments.

About the Author(s)

P. Scott Shearer

Vice President, Bockorny Group, Inc.

Scott Shearer is vice president of the Bockorny Group Inc., a leading bipartisan government affairs consulting firm in Washington, D.C. With more than 30 years experience in government and corporate relations in state and national arenas, he is recognized as a leader in agricultural trade issues, having served as co-chairman of the Agricultural Coalition for U.S.-China Trade and co-chairman of the Agricultural Coalition for Trade Promotion Authority. Scott was instrumental in the passage of China Permanent Normal Trade Relations and TPA. He is past chairman of the USDA-USTR Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Animals and Animal Products and was a member of the USAID Food Security Advisory Committee. Prior to joining the Bockorny Group, Scott served as director of national relations for Farmland Industries Inc., as well as USDA’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Affairs (1993-96), serving as liaison for the Secretary of Agriculture and the USDA to Congress.

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