NPR: Government Paid More Than $1 Billion to Dead Farmers

Government Paid More Than $1 Billion to Dead Farmers

You know, I love America. Not only will the U.S. government often give you money while you're alive, it'll keep doing it years after you've died.

According to The Washington Post, a government report found the U.S. Department of Agriculture paid more than $1.1 billion over seven years "to the estates or companies of deceased farmers and routinely failed to conduct reviews required to ensure that the payments were properly made." The Government Accountability Office's review of 181 cases found that officials approved payments without a review of any kind 40 percent of the time. In another 38 percent of cases, the work was sloppy or vague.

The report cited a 1,900-acre soybean and corn farm in Illinois that collected $400,000 on behalf of an owner who lived in Florida before his death in 1995. The company did not notify the government of the death but certified each year that the dead shareholder, who owned 40 percent of the company, was "actively engaged" in managing the farm.

Most estates can continue receiving farm payments for up to two years after the owner's death to allow time to restructure finances. But after that, the USDA is supposed to make sure the farm is still a working operation and not just in existence to collect loot from the feds.

I wonder how hard the government will push to get the money back in cases in which people tried to game the system. Will the reaction be the same as if, for example, it had been the Department of Health and Human Services overpaying welfare cases it administers?

12:09 PM ET | 07-23-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

"I wonder how hard the government will push to get the money back in cases in which people tried to game the system."

Don't hold your breath.

Sent by Mark | 1:38 PM ET | 07-23-2007

Allow them to continue receiving the aid ONLY if they produce biofuels; otherwise, pay the national debt w/the amoutn they were paying the farmer whiel alive.

Sent by Robert Podrebarac | 5:03 PM ET | 07-23-2007

The dead farmers will likely be represented by very-much-alive company/corporate lawyers, so I doubt the Dept. of Agriculture will pursue that misuse of corporate welfare. People on welfare cannot afford lawyers to defend them, that's why they make such convenient scapegoats whenever a politicians wants to look like they're doing something for the taxpayer. Welfare for those with money (or in this case, beyond the use of money) is the traditional form of socialism most honored in this country. Giving money for people who might actually need it is, of course, Godless Communism and a sure sign that the end of civilization is nigh.

Sent by John R. Otten | 2:49 PM ET | 07-24-2007

Send a Comment

Comments are reviewed and edited by NPR prior to display. All comments will be read, but not all will be posted.

NPR reserves the right to read on the air and/or publish on its Web site or in any medium now known or unknown the e-mails and letters that we receive. We may edit them for clarity or brevity and identify authors by name and location. For additional information, please consult our Terms of Use.

E-mail this Page

Recipient's e-mail address:	» Up to twelve addresses, separated by commas.
Your e-mail address:
Your name:
Personal message (optional, 600 characters max):
Your NPR member station:
Are you a member of your local NPR station?	Yes No
Would you like to receive information from your local NPR member station? (see NPR's privacy policy)	Yes No
Please send me updates from NPR.	Yes No

(Information collected by NPR will be used solely for internal NPR or NPR member station purposes and only if you selected 'yes' above. See NPR's privacy policy for more information.)

Tom Regan

Blogger

About Us

This year's election cycle has been one of the most exciting in memory. At the NPR News Blog we'll do our best to bring you interesting, informative -- and controversial -- stories from our own reporters and bloggers, as well as the rest of the best of the Internet and blogosphere. And we hope you'll let us know what you think as well.

Want to learn more? Be sure to read our Frequently Asked Questions and our discussion guidelines.