Kind not happy with farm bill

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U.S. Rep Ron Kind, D-Wis., of La Crosse says his colleagues missed a great opportunity to reform U.S. farm policies.

He blames special interests –- especially rice and cotton producers from the South -- who pushed for higher subsidies.

For months, Kind advocated some big changes in the new farm policy bill to encourage land conservation and stop giving crop subsidies to the wealthy.

But there was very little of that when a House-Senate conference committee unveiled the final version of its farm bill Thursday.

It does cut off direct payments to those with adjusted gross incomes of three-quarter million dollars a year from any source. Kind says that’s way too high.

Kind says there are no income limits on other programs. He notes that 70 percent of the farm subsidies will go to just 30 congressional districts and it’s those lawmakers who have the clout.

House Ag Committee chairman Collin Peterson of Minnesota said the new farm bill spends less on traditional programs, and more on nutrition.

The White House is still promises a veto, saying the bill spends too much.

Lawmakers are trying to round out enough votes to pass an eventual override.

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