Obama Highlights Rural Issues During Iowa Campaign Stop

TAMA, Iowa (AP) _ Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama on Friday cast Washington's treatment of the nation's rural areas as a case of big business interests prevailing over the little farmer.

Friday, August 17th 2007, 4:13 pm

By: News On 6

TAMA, Iowa (AP) _ Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama on Friday cast Washington's treatment of the nation's rural areas as a case of big business interests prevailing over the little farmer.

At a campaign event dubbed a rural summit, Obama complained that the country has handed out $1.3 billion in federal farm payments to people who aren't even farmers, with far too much money going to Fortune 500 companies that are ``more than profitable enough not to take taxpayer money.''

``I believe it's time to turn the page on a politics that has turned its back on rural America,'' Obama said at a high school in central Iowa. ``While you're working hard to strengthen your farms, your families, and your communities, small businesses or main streets, our government has been working for big agribusiness.''

Obama called for changes in the 2007 Farm Bill, and said he'll support lowering subsidy payments and reducing the number of multimillionaires eligible for those subsidies.

``That's why I believe we should lower the payment limit to $250,000 annually and make sure those payments go to farmers who need them _ not to millionaires who rely on the American taxpayers to protect their multimillion-dollar profits,'' he said.

The Illinois senator called the summit to gather policy ideas and comments from experts on rural issues. The event, titled ``Real Change for Rural America,'' focused on rural economic development, quality of life, energy and agriculture.

Obama said he has long worked to support rural America during his time in the Illinois Legislature and the U.S. Senate.

The event included sessions on a variety of topics, in which experts and others from rural areas talked about such matters as farm prices, sustainable agriculture and how immigration policy affects agriculture. Those who attended gave special emphasis to issues including caps on subsidies, environmental concerns and how to encourage beginning farmers.