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U.S. PIRG Applauds House Leadership for Dropping One-Year Farm Bill Extension that Included Billions in Wasteful Subsidies
Washington, D.C. – Statement of Nasima Hossain, U.S. PIRG Public Health Advocate, on one year extension of Farm Bill, H.R. 6228.
“In this current economic climate the reauthorization of the farm bill should be a straight forward opportunity to end wasteful subsidies.
“H.R. 6228 – the one-year extension of the current farm bill – would have continued the current system of agricultural subsidies to large, profitable agribusinesses that do not need the handouts. Between 1995 and 2011 taxpayers spent $277 billion in agricultural subsidies with a staggering $18.2 billion going to junk food ingredients. Among those were subsidies for corn and soy which was then processed into junk food ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, contributing to the obesity epidemic in America.
“We commend the U.S. House of Representatives for dropping the one-year extension of the Farm Bill and we urge Leadership to bring the Farm Bill to the floor and give House members the opportunity to debate and amend the bill to end wasteful subsidies.”
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