SUNNYSIDE, Wash. – The Sunnyside Community Center hosted a town hall to discuss the president's massive reconciliation bill passed earlier this year and its impacts on the local community, especially farmers in the valley. The main concern shared by panelists was the prioritization of "profits over people."

Jean Mendoza, executive director for Friends of Toppenish Creek , voiced her concerns about the subsidies provided by the bill.

"From my perspective, HR-1 provides too many subsidies for the really large farms and not enough subsidies for the small farmers," Mendoza said. "So, when you think of smaller farms, think of orchards, small orchards and the grow crops in Yakima County. And ask yourself, are they getting the major subsidies? Or is this money going to the very big farms?"

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