Tim Carney explains it in Agriculture subsidy agencies stick FOIA exemption into spending bill. It seems someone slipped in this exemption for the boards appointed and funded by the FDA to research and promote various agricultural products. Here's Carney:
The industry lobbies argue that these boards shouldn't be subject to FOIA, because the government collects their funding only from the industry, and not from taxpayers. But of course, requiring all U.S. producers of a commodity to pay a fee is, ultimately, requiring all consumers to pay a fee. So these boards make us pay more for our foods so the industry can do research it wants to do, and otherwise promote their food.
The money it takes to respond to FOIA requests, the industries said, was money they couldn't spend on research and crop promotion.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, will oppose the provision, according to his office. "This is crony capitalism organized by Washington at its worst," Lee said. "Not only is the federal government forcing market participants to collude, it is then actively engaging in a cover up of that collusion."
House Committee on Agriculture chairman Mike Conaway would put the citizens before the lobbyists. Wouldn't he? OK, maybe not this time, maybe not next time, but someday, yes someday he will.
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