Public Interest Groups to Make Case for Fundamental Farm Bill Reforms

To: POLITICAL EDITORS

Contact: Donald Carr of the Environmental Working Group, +1-202- 939-9141, don@ewg.org

WASHINGTON, June 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The following is being issued by the Environmental Working Group:

What: On Tuesday, June 12th @ 10:00 a.m., Environmental Working Group

President Ken Cook and Vice President for Information Technology Chris

Campbell will publicly unveil a new, companion version of the

Environmental Working Group’s heavily trafficked Farm Subsidy Database.

The 2007 Farm Bill Policy Analysis Database uses millions of previously

unpublished USDA subsidy records mandated by Congress in Section 1614 of

the 2002 Farm Bill to provide the greatest transparency to date in farm

program subsidy benefits.

The new data disclose thousands of people who benefited from the subsidy

flow but were shielded from public view behind layers of partnerships,

joint ventures, limited liability corporations, cooperatives, and other

business structures that obscured their personal subsidy claims.

The EWG will be joined by representatives from other influential public

interest organizations calling on Congress and the Administration to push

for fundamental reform of the nation’s farm bill spending priorities and

direct help to struggling family farmers, provide additional resources for

conservation and take concrete steps to help feed the poorest people at

home and in the poorest, agriculturally dependent nations in the world.

Where: The National Press Club’s First Amendment Lounge, 529 14th St. NW,

13th Floor Washington, DC 20045

When: Tuesday, June 12th at 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM EDT

Speakers confirmed for the event:

Reverend David Beckmann — President of Bread For the World

Raymond Offenheiser — President of Oxfam America

Ryan Alexander — President of Taxpayers for Common Sense

Scott Faber — Director of Environmental Defense’s Healthy Food, Healthy

Farms Campaign

A continental breakfast will be provided.

The EWG is a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, DC that uses the power of information to protect human health and the environment. Visit http://www.ewg.orgto learn more about the EWG.

SOURCE Environmental Working Group

(c) 2007 U.S. Newswire. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.