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Murphy Votes to Reform and Strengthen Safety Net For Low-Income Families, Farmers

6/20/13

Murphy Votes to Reform and Strengthen Safety Net For Low-Income Families, Farmers

For Immediate Release: June 20, 2013
Contact: Dain Pascocello, 202.225.2301

WASHINGTON, DC  – Rep. Tim Murphy (PA-18) today released the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 1947, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management (FARRM) Act of 2013, better known as the “Farm Bill.” The legislation was defeated 195 to 234.

“Numerous congressional audits, hearings, and investigations have revealed agriculture programs are spinning out of control, have quadrupled in cost, and are too often scammed. In a time of dwindling resources, the bill would have targeted needed resources to put these programs back on track, guaranteeing that those who qualify for nutrition assistance receive it. No longer could states use backdoor methods to enroll people who didn’t qualify, and new anti-fraud requirements would stop lottery winners and persons with hidden assets from taking advantage of a program established to help families, and in particular, children in need,” said Murphy.

The legislation ended direct payments to agricultural industries that neither planted nor harvested crops. It also repealed the sugar-to-ethanol program in which the federal government would buy sugar then sell it at a loss to biofuel producers.

“This bill would have put an end to the outrageous practice of global agricultural companies collecting taxpayer subsidies, instead creating a safety net for small family farms, like those throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania, through a crop-insurance program.”

Murphy also supported an amendment to eliminate government-imposed limits on the supply of milk. The amendment would have allowed Pennsylvania dairy farmers to produce and sell milk to meet market demand without federal supply restrictions that artificially increase prices for consumers.

“I’m disappointed with today’s outcome. Congress missed an opportunity to enact balanced reforms to help both needy families and the small farmers in Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland counties,” said Murphy.

The Farm Bill covers 12 sections of U.S. agriculture policy, including commodity support, conservation, farm credit, and nutrition assistance. H.R. 1947 represented the first reforms to food and nutrition programs since welfare reform was enacted in 1996, and reduces government spending by $40 billion over the next decade. In particular, it streamlines, consolidates, and eliminates 100 separate Agriculture Department programs.

Without further action, existing farm programs will expire, reverting back to New Deal-era policies that include government price controls on crops, acreage limits on private production, penalties for farmers who exceed those limits, and mandatory higher prices for consumers of most food products including milk.

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