USDA Budget Cuts Not Sitting Well With Many In The Ag Community

With the Trump Administration proposing to cut billions of dollars from the USDA’s mandatory and discretionary funding, many in the farming community are expressing concern.  Some, like National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson have called the President’s proposal hypocritical.

“As both a presidential candidate and now as president, Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his appreciation for and dedication to American farmers," Johnson said.  "Yet year after year, his budget has failed to address the very real economic challenges facing rural communities. Farm debt and farm bankruptcies have skyrocketed, crop prices remain low, climate change is disrupting food production, and rural economies continue to lag behind their urban counterparts.”

Johnson added there are a number of programs and agencies that can help farmers such as CRP, ARS, SNAP and others, but the Administration is looking at cutting funding for each of those programs.

“State departments of agriculture depend on a robust partnership with the federal government to achieve their missions,” said National Association of Agriculture State Departments of Agriculture CEO Dr. Barb Glenn.  "This year, the President’s budget delivers mixed results on programs important to NASDA members. Proposed investments in animal and plant health, market access and food safety traceability are appreciated. However, the proposed budget falls short of adequately funding essential programs for American agriculture and rural communities.

"If enacted, the topline cuts to the USDA and EPA would negatively impact the agriculture community," Glenn continued.  "Conservation and crop insurance programs would bear the brunt of the burden, undermining resilience for rural America. Closing the rural opportunity gap remains a top priority for policymakers, and we simply cannot support resilience for rural America without dedicating appropriate resources.

"NASDA looks forward to working with Congress to fully fund federal programs under USDA, EPA, U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other agencies that support NASDA members and the farmers they represent,” Glenn added.

 “While NAWG continues to review the budget proposal in more detail, we do see that it proposes drastic cuts to some key programs for wheat farmers,” said National Association of Wheat Growers President Ben Scholz.

"It has become an annual tradition for the Administration’s proposed budget to include cuts to crop insurance, which has happened under Presidents from both political parties,” the grower from Lavon TX continued.  “It must be understood that issuing cuts to crop insurance can make policies more expensive for farmers. When input costs remain high and commodity prices low, this additional cost could result in many growers not having insurance and may make it difficult for them to stay in business.

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