(MintPress) — As debate surrounds special interests’ benefits from the 2012 farm bill, including companies that produce genetically modified foods, a report released by the nonprofit organization Food and Water Watch ranks the 2008 version of the bill as the most heavily lobbied piece of legislation is the last decade.
More than 1,000 companies and organization contributed to the high price tag of the bill, with $173.5 million spent on lobbying efforts.That’s more than any other industry, with the healthcare reform bill coming in a close second at $120 million.
With so much money invested by lobbyists into the creation and alteration of the bill, it calls into question whether congress men and women were compelled to pass legislation that looked out for the average farmer — or the organizations and companies that could afford to have their message presented in a loud — and expensive — way, including the meat industry.
“The public demand for broad-based reforms to the food system has been largely stymied by the special interest lobbying muscle of the agribusiness and food processing industry, which shores up the status quo,” the report concludes.
The astounding amount of money poured in for the farm bill was contributed to sway congressional leaders to implement policies favorable to businesses and organizations impacted by the piece of legislation, which stands for approval once every five years.
“Family farm advocates, environmental and consumer groups, Wall Street firms, energy interests, domestic and international hunger advocates and others joined the big farm and agribusiness lobby,” the report reads.
While the lobbying report on the 2012 farm bill has not been fully released, it’s likely to carry on the big spending trend of 2008, with a new list of interests spending big money to see favorable results for their industries — including corporations in the business of genetically engineered crops.
The ‘meat’ of the bill
Business leaders in the world of meat weren’t absent from lobbying efforts, with Tyson Foods contributing more than $1.38 million, followed by the National Pork Producers Council, Meat and Poultry Promotion Coalition, Smithfield Foods and the American Meat Institute. Hormel Foods, Cargill, United Egg Producers and Cavel International were also among the donors.
In all, the meat industry poured in around $5.7 million in efforts to lobby against provisions in the livestock portion of the bill that sought to level the playing field for small livestock farmers. Included in the portion of the bill were rules to allow small meat processing plants to ship meat throughout the country (from state to state) and oversight provisions that would have prevented “the meatpacking and poultry processors from treating livestock farmers unfairly,” according to the report.
The meatpacking industry opposed such measures, saying the provisions would be redundant and unnecessary to the enforcement of laws already in place. According to the report, the four largest meatpacking and poultry businesses contributed $4.1 million.
Not all farmers prosper
The result of 2008 lobbying efforts led to victories for those who spent the most and frustration for those who fell short, including those representing small farms. The Center for Rural Affairs deemed the 2008 bill a failure, claiming it subsidized the destruction of family farming and left out interests of rural America.
“Despite growing public demands for new priorities in food and agriculture policy, the last few farm bills essentially maintained the status quo for agribusiness and the industrial agricultural model,” the report reads. “The $173.5 million spent lobbying on the 2008 farm bill helps explain why so little has changed.”
The Center did, however, acknowledge positive aspects of the bill, but claimed even favorable measures didn’t outweigh the subsidies for larger farms.
“The bill does have some good provisions — including a rural microenterprise program, livestock reforms, beginning farmer provisions, grants for value added agriculture, and strong conservation programs,” the organization states in a 2008 newsletter. “Those positive features are overwhelmed, however, by subsidies for mega farms to drive smaller operations out of business.”
According to the report, 45 percent of lobbying funds were directed toward farm policy, which includes commodity programs, conservation, crop insurance, organic and specialty crops, credit and livestock — totalling $85.8 million. Interests on Wall Street threw in $10.8 billion for commodity futures and trade commissions. Despite feeling shortchanged, rural development initiatives accounted for 10 percent of lobbying efforts, with $17.3 million.
Lobbying success
While thought of to be designated for issues relating to farming, a provision in the 2008 bill included a tax break for thoroughbred racehorses. According to the report, this tax break was included in the bill by Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican. The tax break is arguably connected to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Churchill Downs, which spent $136,000 in lobbying fees on the farm bill.
The thoroughbred tax break is just one example of money speaking to politicians.
The timber industry leader, Weyerhaeuser, spent $1 million lobbying on the farm bill. Consequently, the bill included measures that led to the reduction of $182 million in taxes paid by the company, according to the report.
Colleges and universities also spent big, with rewards in return. In all, post secondary educational institutions contributed $6.5 million in lobbying efforts. The farm bill that year allocated $321 million for agriculture research programs.
The ethanol industry also contributed in lobbying spending to keep the industry afloat. With ethanol plants throughout the country being shut down, the fossil fuel industry spent $7.1 million lobbying for the ethanol blenders tax credit. The ethanol industry itself spent $1.1 million. The 2008 bill included a 45 cent-per-gallon tax break for blending corn ethanol and gasoline — a subsidy that will help keep the ethanol industry alive.
Those lobbying in the interest of nutrition assistance programs spent $3.1 million lobbying. Continuing on with the tradition of the farm bill, a large portion of the funding through the bill benefitted the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is responsible for the food stamp program and other nutrition arrangements for low-income Americans.