Congressman claims majority of farmers miss out on subsidies

By MITCH LIES

Capital Press

Two tweets by Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., have riled the Oregon Farm Bureau.

Blumenauer, who represents Oregon's 3rd Congressional District that consists mainly of Portland, in separate tweets June 14 wrote:

"When the corporate agri-business lobbyists at the American Farm Bureau think you're wrong, it's a good sign."

He followed that with: "Time for our family farmers and ranchers to be represented by someone who is looking out for them, sadly it's not the Farm Bureau."

"Tweet" is a term used to describe a micro-blog many politicians and others have using Twitter, an online service.

Barry Bushue, president of the Oregon Farm Bureau and vice president of the American Farm Bureau, said he was planting tomatoes when he learned of the tweets.

"I thought it was ironic that he was accusing us (of supporting big agri-business) and my wife, myself and my son are on our hands and knees in dirt planting tomatoes," Bushue said.

Blumenauer said the tweets were in part a response to criticism he received from the Farm Bureau for his proposals that Congress slash farm subsidies.

On June 14, Blumenauer announced he plans to offer an amendment to the fiscal 2012 agricultural appropriations bill that would cap Title 1 commodity program payments at $125,000 per entity.

The cap, Blumenauer said in a press release, "would cut wasteful government spending by more than $650 million a year."

In an interview with the Capital Press, Blumenauer said Oregon Farm Bureau repeatedly has come out in support of farm payment programs that provide funds to the largest 10 percent of the nation's farmers, while providing nursery and fruit and vegetable farmers "crumbs."

"I don't think there is any question that the majority of farmers and ranchers in Oregon are not well served by the current farm bill," Blumenauer said. "Eighty-seven percent of the men and women who farm and ranch in Oregon get zippo.

"The Oregon Farm Bureau supported the last farm bill, which hurt Oregon, and they weren't helping us reform the bill this time to give Oregon farmers and ranchers a break," Blumenauer said.

"They opposed (U.S. Rep.) Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), who for 15 years has been a friend of farmers and ranchers. They went against (U.S. Sen.) Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). They went against the governor.

"They are systematically burning bridges with people that care about farmers and ranchers in rural Oregon, and they are not a force for reform," Blumenauer said.

"I don't understand why they support a system that cheats Oregon farmers and ranchers, cheats Oregon consumers and short-changes children in schools," he said.

Blumenauer said he would like to see environmental programs fully funded in the next farm bill, as well as research and marketing programs.

Bushue, who lives in Gresham and is a Blumenauer constituent, said he is hesitant to fracture relations with the eight term congressman, but planned to respond to the tweets.

"We don't want to screw up our relationship," Bushue said, "but we believe it would be irresponsible on our part if we didn't reply."

Bushue said he will be meeting in coming days with Oregon Farm Bureau Executive Vice President Dave Dillon and OFB National Affairs specialist Gail Greenman to craft a response.