Pork Alert: Department of Agriculture

CAGW’s Pork Patrol^SM Takes a Closer Look at Fiscal 2010 Agriculture Pork

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today released its preliminary analysis of the House version of the Fiscal 2010 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. There are 322 projects in the bill, costing taxpayers $219.7 million. House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) added $9.3 million for 10 projects and House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) added $5.3 million for six projects.

“continue work to define requirements for these species, evaluate the use of tropical byproducts in aquatic feeds, including those from biodiesel production, and modify feed processing methods to improve nutrient utilization and optimize feed stability and cost.”

Here are some outrageous examples of wasteful spending that members of the House added into to the bill:

• $4,545,000 for wood utilization in 10 states by House appropriator David Price (D-N.C.) and Reps. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), Michael H. Michaud (D-Maine), Brad Miller (D-N.C.), Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.), Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), David Wu (D-Ore.) and Mike Rogers (R-Mich.). This research has cost taxpayers $99.9 million since 1985. One would think that after 25 years of research the wood industry should be picking up the tab for this research.
• $3,654,000 for the Center for Grape Genetics in Geneva by House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee member Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Michael Arcuri (D-N.Y.). According to Empire State News, if this funding is approved, Congress will have appropriated a total of $16.8 million for the center. New York’s wine and grape industries generate $6 billion annually in sales.
• $2,908,000 for shrimp aquaculture by Reps. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Solomon Ortiz (D-Texas), and Ed Pastor (D-Ariz.) in Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, and Arizona. One can only imagine how many shrimp there are frying in the deserts of Arizona, a landlocked state.
• $1,438,000 for tropical aquaculture feeds in Hilo by Reps. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii). According to Rep. Hirono’s website, funds will be used to “continue work to define requirements for these species, evaluate the use of tropical byproducts in aquatic feeds, including those from biodiesel production, and modify feed processing methods to improve nutrient utilization and optimize feed stability and cost.”

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.