Last Friday, the US House of Representatives passed a $286 billion, five-year farm bill that includes a provision, at labor unions request, that will cost Hoosier taxpayers over $100 million thereby making Indiana continue a failed program to help the needy. According to critics, the bill is less about agriculture programs and conservation as only 11% of the bills funds goes to agriculture programs and more about raising taxes on businesses to support increases in the food stamps program.

Here is what Indiana Congressman Steve Buyer had to say about the passage of the bill in a press release;

In a highly unusual and heavy handed procedural move after the bill left the House Agriculture Committee, language was inserted in the bill which included a $10 billion tax increase on businesses.

"The past several farm bills that I have been involved in were bipartisan and focused on the family farmer. I represent so many in the agriculture community who work hard and help provide for our nation's national security with a safe and plentiful supply of food," Buyer said. "It is unfortunate that a process which began in a bipartisan effort ended with language inserted for labor unions and a tax increase on business inserted in the dark of night."

A highly partisan measure was included in the bill that would cost Indiana over $100 million by not allowing states, like Indiana, to continue with their federally approved plans to modernize their Food Stamp program. The language in the bill hurtful to Indiana was included at the behest of labor unions who say that states like Indiana, who contract with private entities to help implement the food stamp program, are a threat to union membership.

"When Governor Mitch Daniels came into office the State's administration of child welfare programs was in disrepair. It had the most child deaths in the foster care system and ranked last in reducing its welfare caseloads. The Food Stamp program was a paper process and provided poor service. These are not proud achievements by any measure," Buyer said.

Governor Daniels worked to improve the services to needy Hoosiers and the State's plan has been approved by HHS and USDA and is in implementation. The current Welfare system is almost completely paper-based providing poor service and in need of modernization.

During consideration by the House Agriculture Committee, an amendment was proposed to the Nutrition Title by two members of the Indiana delegation but it was drafted in such a way that it would not have aided Indiana's efforts to improve the Food Stamp Program. The amendment offered by Rep. Donnelly and Rep. Ellsworth was not supported by the governor of Indiana.

"The standards set forth in the amendment were so onerous that Indiana could not have met them therefore the amendment would not have helped Indiana. It would not have alleviated the $100 million cost to taxpayers. It was a throw-away amendment. In short the amendment helped union bosses but hurt Indiana taxpayers. The amendment put the face of the unions ahead of the faces of needy families who need food stamps," Buyer said.

"Despite the benefits that this bill has for our farmers, I cannot vote for a provision that hurts Indiana welfare modernization efforts and brings a cost of over $100 million to Hoosiers. Nor, can I support a $10 billion tax increase that was inserted behind closed doors. It is bad policy. The farm bill should take on a new name since only 11% of its funding actual goes to farmers while 66% is spent on the nutrition title and the remainder to renewable fuels and other programs," Buyer commented.