'Millionaire farmers' put on notice

Guest blogger Lance Jungmeyer here ...

In an effort to curb wasteful Farm Bill spending, a group called Taxpayers for Common Sense is mounting a big push to highlight the fact that many recipients of farm payouts are so-called "millionaire farmers."

A press release states: "What Taxpayers for Common Sense wants in a Senate farm bill is simple – less taxpayer waste, a smaller budgetary footprint, and significant reform to the Title I commodity programs.

"Where the House failed, the Senate has the opportunity to meet these challenges.

"The so-called reform in the House Farm Bill will actually increase taxpayer handouts to some of the largest and wealthiest farmers out there. For example, after feeding at the subsidy trough for dozens of years to the tune of billions of taxpayer dollars, sugar and rice farmers will be in line for bigger handouts."

Taxpayers for Common Sense has teamed with Oxfam and other farm groups to mount a $225,000 media blitz in Washington, D.C., New Hampshire and Minnesota. Print and TV ads are part of the mix.

Here's a YouTube version of their 30-second TV ad.