The Trump administration last week revealed details of a $16 billion aid package for farmers hit in the U.S.-China trade war, with key provisions meant to avoid large corporations scooping up big payouts at the expense of small farmers. According to a report released yesterday by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG), most of the $8.4 billion given out so far in last year’s farm bailout went to wealthy farmers, exacerbating the economic disparity with smaller farmers, the Washington Post reported. An EWG analysis found that the top one-tenth of recipients received 54 percent of all payments. Eighty-two farmers have so far received more than $500,000 in trade relief. The top 1 percent of recipients of trade relief received, on average, $183,331. The bottom 80 percent received, on average, less than $5,000, EWG said. The Agriculture Department said that the program is designed to provide a level of support that’s proportionate to a farm’s size and success. Read more.
The Family Farmer Relief Act (H.R. 2336), which would raise the debt limit for chapter 12 filings from $4.3 million to $10 million, passed the House of Representatives last week along with the Small Business Reorganization Act (H.R. 3311), the Honoring American Veterans in Extreme Need Act (H.R. 2938; HAVEN Act) and the National Guard and Reservist Debt Relief Extension Act (H.R. 3304). All the bills are non-controversial and ABI testified in support of H.R. 3311, H.R. 2336 and H.R. 2938.
The bills need unanimous consent to proceed to passage. According to Senate sources, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) has a legislative hold on all bills at this time. The Senate is due to recess at the end of this week until September.
