Million Dollar Farmers Would Lose Subsidies

The House Agriculture Committee voted to ban federal subsidies to farmers with incomes averaging more than $1 million a year and stop farmers from collecting payments for multiple properties. Only farmers whose incomes exceed $2.5 million a year are now disqualified from such aid. The Committee is putting together a wide-ranging, five year farm bill to replace the current law that governs Agriculture Department programs and expires in September. The limits are an attempt to appease a growing number of critics, including the Bush administration who say the country's farm subsidies need an overhaul.At the same time, the bill would increase the maximum limit on direct payments, subsidies that are not based on current crop production or prices.