Investigate Midwest and InvestigateTV dug through millions of data points for this story and map that shows where payments went.
Unprecedented subsidies paid out in USDA program; see map of where payments went
In the last years of the Trump presidency, as its trade war with China lingered, the USDA handed out an "unprecedented" amount of cash to farmers. While the amount may not have been seen before, the program already is setting a precedent for future subsidies.
"Without a doubt, this has set an expectation that whenever there are bumps — or perceived bumps — in the road, that the USDA will automatically trigger out payments," an expert told Investigate Midwest and InvestigateTV, our partner on this investigation.
To examine the potential long-lasting effects of the Market Facilitation Program, we interviewed professors and government watchdogs, delved into internal emails, and mined millions of rows of data to produce an interactive map that gives readers the opportunity to see where billions in tax dollars ended up.
The Market Facilitation Progam seemed to start with the best of intentions: get support to farmers who were caught in the middle of the U.S.-China trade war.
Investigate Midwest and InvestigateTV found MFP used unprecedented amounts of money, bypassed Congressional approval and lacked checks to ensure the payments went to eligible farmers.
To help farmers quickly, the USDA bypassed Congressional approval by funding the MFP through a little-known agency “credit card”: the Credit Commodity Corporation. The CCC, a government-owned entity designed to protect the farming industry, had never before been used to fund such a single, large-scale program at the discretion of the Secretary of Agriculture.
Unlike most farm subsidies approved by Congress as part of the Farm Bill, discretionary CCC-funded programs can be designed quickly and administered by USDA alone, making them more flexible.
But that flexibility came with side effects. Click here for the full story.
This map displays the total amount of money received by each recipient over the course of the Market Facilitation Program. This map only displays payments made for non-specialty crops, which account for 94% of the funds spent through the MFP. Click on the image to go to a full map with the ability to zoom in.
Correction: Gray Television was misspelled in last week's newsletter. We regret the error.
One of Big Meat's favorite ways of denying its culpability in climate change is greenwashing, Dave Dickey writes in his latest column. He continues:
"Look no farther than Big Meat behemoth JBS as a prime example. In the spring of 2021, JBS took out a full-page advertisement in the New York Times proclaiming that the company will achieve net-zero emissions by 2040. The promise is long on spin and short on details. And JBS isn't alone when it comes to greenwashing."
"But what Big Ag is desperate to keep secret from Congress and the rest of us is just how invested the nation's food producers are in green technologies."
People have lived along the Missouri River for millennia, the benefits competing with the risks. Modern levee systems built in response to past disasters like the floods of 1927 or 1993 aren't designed for the newest risk: increased rainfall caused by climate change.
This is the fourth and final of four stories in When It Rains, a special series. Reporting for this story was by Eva Tesfaye, Harvest Public Media; Brittney J. Miller, The Gazette of Cedar Rapids; Halle Parker, WWNO-New Orleans Public Radio. Read part one, part two and part three.
Join us Nov. 3 at Poindexter Coffee inside of the Graduate Hotel in Iowa City for an evening of great stories, live music, trivia, silent auction, specialty cocktails, and more, all to support independent investigative journalism. Your ticket purchase includes a drink ticket to use at the full bar.
Hosted by Iowa Public Radio's Charity Nebbe, the evening will start at 5:30 p.m. with live music from local artist Jack Grisamor. Guests are invited to order from the Graduate Food Hall menu and enjoy stories about "The Trip That Changed My Life" from local storytellers including Bill Casey, The Rhombergs, James Stordahl and Erin Jordan.
Proceeds from ticket sales will support Investigate Midwest and its IowaWatch newsroom. As a special bonus, all free-will donations collected at this event will be matched to double your impact.
Thank you to event sponsor, Blank & McCune Real Estate.
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On Nov. 1, we kick off our annual end-of-year campaign. From that day until the end of the year, the NewsMatch fund will double any individual's donation, up to $15,000 total. You can make twice the difference. More details to come next week.
