The money was supposed to go to farmers who protect air, water, and wildlife. Instead, USDA was using $150 million a year to shuffle papers. Congress put a stop to that.
About 35,000 farmers take part in "Environmental Working Lands" programs every year. Congress sets aside $1.1 billion to pay for the programs that reward farmers for using environmentally friendly farming methods. But USDA was siphoning off money to pay for overhead and administrative costs -- the irony being, lots of paperwork, made from lots of trees -- obviously not all that eco-sensitive.
Congress has sent the President a bill to block USDA's practices. (AP via LAT)
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