The Environmental Working Group’s so-called Farm Subsidy Database has been highlighting farm program payments since 1995. Rather than releasing the names of all farmers receiving payments, USDA now lists the lender. AgCountry Farm Credit Services President and CEO Marc Knisely says the EWG information is misleading. “The only time a lender is listed as having received this support payment is when the farmer actually makes an assignment to a lender,” said Knisely. “This money does not come to the lender for the lender’s benefit, it is provided on behalf of the farmers and ranchers as a payment to be applied to their loan.” Knisely also takes issue with the EWG characterizing farm program payments as a subsidy. “It is just unfortunate; causing a rift by using terminology like that is disappointing.”
