SUBSIDIES SPREAD CASH FAR FROM STRUGGLING FARMS

A 2006 Washington Post investigation revealed that federal farm subsidies, often justified as supporting small family farms, were instead distributed to non-farmers, duplicate payments, and operations exceeding legal limits, with investigators analyzing USDA data to uncover billions in questionable payments.

Skeptical of the claims that farm subsidies are needed to save the small family farm, Dan Morgan, Gilbert M. Gaul, and Sarah Cohen spent 2006 answering a simple question about federal subsidy programs: Who reaped the benefits from the taxpayer dollars, and did it help struggling small family farmers? The investigation revealed that subsidies included $1.3 billion meant for working farmers but paid to those who grow nothing; $9 billion in disaster aid that went often to farms already covered by a $20-billion crop insurance program; and payments to farms that exceeded legal payment limits.

Unlocking USDA data was crucial, and The Washington Post published nine stories as part of the 'Harvesting Cash' series.