Lugar Offers FRESH Reform for Farm Bill
Senate Floor Debate Begins

Senator Lugar will offer the Farm, Ranch, Equity, Stewardship and Health (FRESH) Act as an amendment when the Senate debates the Farm Bill in November.  The comprehensive Farm Bill reform would end depression era federal crops subsidies that benefit only a few farmers, of a few crops, in a few states. The FRESH Act is cosponsored by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and for the first time would provide an insurance program to all American farmers with no out of pocket costs.  Read the full text of Senator Lugar’s bill.
 
The FRESH Act will save billions in farm payments, while broadening the agricultural safety-net.  These savings would be invested in other vital programs including conservation practices, renewable energy, access to healthy foods for children and consumers, and assistance for hunger relief efforts.  At the same time it would save taxpayers $3 billion.
 
“Over the past ten years, farm subsidies have gone to just one out of three farmers with only six percent of farms receiving more than 70 percent of that money – namely $120 billion. Subsidy programs have spurred farm consolidation, violated international trade agreements and still left most farmers heavily exposed to risk,” said Senator Lugar, a family farmer and member and former chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Senator Lugar challenged the priorities of the farm bill drafted by the Agriculture Committee during committee debate on October 24.  He offered an amendment that would have reduced direct farm payments 6.5 percent to pay for improvements in the Food Stamp and Emergency Food Assistance Programs.

Though most committee members spoke in favor of the nutrition increases, they were not willing to reduce the direct payments that go to a select few farmers of cotton, rice, wheat, corn and soybeans and Senator Lugar’s amendment was defeated 17-4. Watch the video!

In an effort to reach out to his Senate colleagues, Senator Lugar has sent letters on the need for reform, the importance of fiscal responsibility and compliance with world trading rules, the cost of direct payments to taxpayers, the need to reform commodity programs and maximize investment in rural communities, the response to the FRESH Act in newspapers around the country, and budget gimmicks included in the Farm Bill.