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| Dead farmers got subsidies | |
| 2007-07-24 | |
| WASHINGTON — The Agriculture Department sent $1.1 billion in farm payments to more than 170,000 dead people over a seven-year period, congressional investigators say. The findings by the Government Accountability Office were released Monday as the House prepared to debate and pass farm legislation this week that would govern subsidies and the department's programs for the next five years. GAO auditors reviewed payments from 1999 through 2005 and found that the department has not been conducting the necessary checks to ensure that subsidy payments are proper. Of the identified payments to deceased farmers' estates or businesses, 40 percent went to those who had been dead more than three years, and 19 percent went to those who had been dead for seven or more years. The report was requested by Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley, senior Republican on the Senate Finance Committee. "It's unconscionable that the Department of Agriculture would think that a dead person was actively engaged in the business of farming," Grassley said.
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| Posted by:Steve |
| #10 I have the perfect solution: stop subsidizing farming. There are far better ways to support domestic agriculture than subsidies. Of course, if we did that, a lot of congresscritters would actually have to WORK for a living, but that's life. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2007-07-24 20:12 |
| #9 The question would be if these checks are going to the contact person-owner of the farm that is still qualifying for subsidies. So is this a huge clarical error or naming problem. |
| Posted by: Icerigger 2007-07-24 15:16 |
| #8 Somewhere there is a country song inside all this just waiting to be written....... |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2007-07-24 14:34 |
| #7 Damn. Tell me more... |
| Posted by: Mrs. Farmin B. Hard 2007-07-24 12:46 |
| #6 Why not? Brain-dead senators get paychecks and retirement benefits, no? |
| Posted by: OyVey1 2007-07-24 12:44 |
| #5 The questions is where is da money? Were checks cashed and if, by whom? |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2007-07-24 12:20 |
| #4 "It's unconscionable that the Department of Agriculture would think that a dead person was actively engaged in the business of farming," Grassley said. Dead Farmers make good silage. |
| Posted by: RD 2007-07-24 10:54 |
| #3 Dear Sen. Grassley, The Department of Agriculture considers daisies a crop. Although we have not considered how to have the receipent of the subsidy stop pushing them up. Perhaps an additional payment would do. Sincerely, The Goverment |
| Posted by: Steven 2007-07-24 10:22 |
| #2 I don't see the problem here. These payments were for not growing crops and obviously a dead person doesn't plant or cultivate anything. So he was fulfilling his part of the requirement. This is what happens when you pay someone for not producing. |
| Posted by: GK 2007-07-24 09:09 |
| #1 40 percent went to those who had been dead more than three years, and 19 percent went to those who had been dead for seven or more years Do I take it then that "dead for" less than three years is the new standard, or goal? It is the US Government.... right? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2007-07-24 07:53 |