Agricultural Subsidy Fraud

A contentious point in much of American politics today is the administration of agricultural subsidies to U.S. farmers. The 2007 Farm Bill, for instance, was unable to pass the Senate multiple times due to the wide diversity of opinions over this issue. One important aspect that critics of agricultural subsidies point out is the massive amount of fraud that occurs through the programs. From individual farmers to massive corporations, many people take unfair advantage of the Federal government over farm subsidies.

1.        Farm subsidy fraud can greatly vary, but it always involves stealing money from taxpayers. Agricultural subsidies can apply to many products, such as grain, vegetables, fruit, dairy and meat. In one instance, a foreign company was able to benefit from agricultural subsidies. In a different example, however, local farmers from seven states were able to collect federal funds from supposedly "failed" watermelon crops. They managed to take almost $50 million from the government. Clearly, this type of fraud is not limited to small amounts of money.

2.        Agricultural employees are in the best position to identify and bring justice to fraudulent farmers. People who work for large farms or corporations that produce agricultural products are uniquely placed to come forward about subsidy abuse. It is obviously very difficult for the government to identify farm fraud, as there are many cases in short periods of time, but individual employees can help the government reclaim stolen money.

3.        If you believe your employer might have benefitted from illegally obtained farm subsidies, it is important to speak to an attorney about the matter. Only attorneys who have experience in cases of fraud against the government have the ability to lead you through filing a case with the U.S. government. The laws involved, especially for agricultural subsidy fraud, are complex and confusing, and legal training and experience is necessary for a case to go smoothly.