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Proposal To Close Loophole Looks At Who Is A Farmer

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Farmer Levi Greuel spends a sunny Saturday afternoon fixing up his farm equipment and tearing down an old wooden barn in preparation for planting season. (Abby Wendle/Harvest Public Media)
Farmer Levi Greuel spends a sunny Saturday afternoon fixing up his farm equipment and tearing down an old wooden barn in preparation for planting season. (Abby Wendle/Harvest Public Media)

Big farms are collecting taxpayer dollars that they haven’t necessarily earned, by taking advantage of a loophole in government subsidy rules, according to regulators, members of Congress and the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is taking aim at what is known as the “actively engaged” loophole, which has been gaping for nearly three decades, by changing the qualifications for some subsidy payments.

But many watchdog groups say a proposed fix fails to address the problem. From the Here & Now Contributors Network, Abby Wendle of Harvest Public Media reports.

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This segment aired on April 23, 2015.

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