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Wisconsin Congressman wants subsidy changes in farm bill

Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind of La Crosse tells Brownfield the proposed SNAP program reforms are not the only problem with the

House Ag Committee version of the farm bill.  Kind says there needs to be limits on payments to big ag operations.  “There’s huge taxpayer subsidies now going to a few but very large agribusinesses, and that’s what’s leading to the consolidation of production agriculture, driving land values up, making it harder for our mid to small family farmers to stay in operation.  If you lift those payment caps in (the) Title I subsidy programs the sky is the limit for how big those entities can ultimately get.”

And, Kind says moving conservation and organic programs from mandatory funding to discretionary funding is code for major program cuts, which he also opposes.

Kind talked to Brownfield Monday in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.