ALASKA: As Senate Nears Action on Farm Bill, Economic Study Shows Alaska Would Benefit from Shifting Some Direct Payment Subsidies to Conservation Funding
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Sean Crowley – 202-572-3331 or scrowley@environmentaldefense.org
Sharyn Stein – 202-572-3396 or sstein@environmentaldefense.org
(
Based upon the average conservation payment per recipient of less than $4,200 in 2005, expanded conservation funding in 37 states would allow another 114,000 farmers and ranchers to benefit from partnerships with USDA to improve air quality, water quality, and wildlife habitat, restore wetlands and protect farmland from sprawl. The study, “Fairness on the Farm: Subsidy Reform Would Help More Farmers in More States,” predicts reductions in federal farm spending in the remaining states would represent less than one percent of the market value of production in each of those states.
Currently, six out of 10 farmers grow fruits, nuts, vegetables and other crops that are ineligible for direct subsidy payments and the largest 10 percent of direct payment recipients collect 64 percent of all payments. Under current farm policies, half of all farm program spending goes to just seven states.
“Our farm subsidies are broken,” said Tim Male, senior scientist for Environmental Defense. “The most expensive subsidies - direct payments - cost tens of billions of dollars, provide payments at the wrong times, and provide no help to most farmers. Greater funding for conservation programs would help more farmers and produce enormous public benefits.”
USDA data shows that two out of three farmers are rejected when they offer to share the cost of meeting our environmental challenges because of our misplaced spending priorities. Direct subsidies are fixed payments linked to a farm’s past crop production, not to current prices or production, and are made even when farmers are earning record-level net incomes, as USDA data shows they are doing this year. High farm prices and incomes are expected to continue throughout the five years covered by the 2007 Farm Bill.
“Farmers in too many states and regions don’t get a fair share of federal farm spending; conservation dollars are distributed more equitably,” said Sara Hopper, an attorney for Environmental Defense. “For
*Below is a list of the 37 states that would benefit from shifting direct subsidy payments to conservation funding and the annual net gain they would receive compared to an extension of the current Farm Bill:
Alabama | $27,947,656 |
Alaska | $1,326,730 |
Arizona | $9,921,190 |
California | $10,922,894 |
Colorado | $20,326,568 |
Connecticut | $3,057,138 |
Delaware | $3,645,395 |
Florida | $26,021,150 |
Georgia | $13,223,343 |
Hawaii | $4,101,699 |
Idaho | $8,624,625 |
Kentucky | $17,716,677 |
Maine | $13,534,158 |
Maryland | $5,113,399 |
Massachusetts | $4,117,188 |
Michigan | $925,796 |
Mississippi | $4,758,553 |
Missouri | $5,979,201 |
Montana | $18,509,533 |
Nevada | $7,785,134 |
New Hampshire | $3,371,618 |
New Jersey | $2,470,688 |
New Mexico | $17,338,705 |
New York | $18,785,058 |
North Carolina | $33,392,817 |
Oklahoma | $1,949,912 |
Oregon | $17,730,402 |
Pennsylvania | $12,920,165 |
Rhode Island | $1,279,274 |
South Carolina | $10,279,307 |
Tennessee | $8,675,993 |
Utah | $24,358,434 |
Vermont | $8,283,516 |
Virginia | $18,575,900 |
Washington | $10,968,581 |
West Virginia | $18,037,253 |
Wyoming | $21,295,176 |
For a detailed breakdown of how farmers in 37 states would benefit under this scenario and to see the full report, visit www.environmentaldefense.org/farms.
One of the world’s leading international nonprofit organizations, Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org) creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships. With more than 3 million members and offices in the United States, China, Mexico, Indonesia and the European Union, EDF’s scientists, economists, attorneys and policy experts are working in 28 countries to turn our solutions into action. Connect with us on Twitter @EnvDefenseFund
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