If only it was enough to keep him down on the farm.
That is, Gov. Jim Justice, whose own farming operations received the maximum possible subsidy payout of $125,000.
That’s hardly enough to entice Justice to stay away from the Governor’s Mansion permanently.
Yet, that measure of relief from a program meant to help farmers survive the U.S. trade war with China has a way of growing on you.
You could argue Justice is just as entitled to this federal subsidy as the next farmer for soybean and corn losses.
However, the state’s only billionaire can certainly bear the declines in commodity markets better than say, every other farmer in West Virginia.
But, just because you only have one acre under production for his every 1,000 and your cash flow, for now, hinges on your spouse’s job, you might be eligible, too. Or not.
Matter of fact, you probably fall into that “not” category as the great majority of farmers nationwide do, who have gotten zilch in subsidies from this trade-aid.
The primary trade-aid program is called the “Market Facilitation Program,” but you can call it a taxpayer bailout, if you like. More than $14 billion of taxpayer bailout so far and still counting of the $28 billion promised by the Trump administration.
Once that $28 billion is spent it will represent more than twice the 2009 bailout of the auto industry, which eventually cost taxpayers about $12 billion.
Justice is no anomaly among these payouts and that $125,000, though it’s supposed to be the limit on what any farm can get, it’s not.
Imagine that, a government program that comes complete with gimmicks for the rich and famous, especially under this administration. One Missouri farm family, for example, got $2.8 million worth of subsidies, and more than 80 families topped $500,000 in payments.
Most eligible grain farmers — about 80% of the people hurting the most in this trade war — have received less than $5,000. That compares to about the top 1% receiving about $183,000, on average.
True it’s all supposedly based on the farm’s size and production — the more acres the more bushels.
So, we’re tempted to not point a finger at Justice for only taking advantage of what the government can bear .
Instead, we could turn our ire at the loopholes in this trade relief or the multi-layers of relief, crop insurance and disaster relief, included.
The fact is, this trade war is going from bad to worse and data on exports, farm bankruptcies and farmer suicides backs that up.
Still, you can always bet the farm that a few of the largest farmers will get even bigger payouts.
