04/14/05 Update on ag budget cuts

04/14/05 Update on ag budget cuts

Farm and Ranch April 14, 2005 There were some misleading headlines out this week about the Bush Administration's latest position regarding budget cuts for farm programs. Some headlines and stories suggested that the administration had thrown in the towel because of opposition by congress. Jennifer Spurqat, a lobbyist for the National Association of Wheat Growers, says what the administration and USDA have backed away from are specifics, like the proposal to reduce payment limitations. Spurqat: "And maybe try and work with the committees and find the cuts without necessarily going down the payment limit route." Spurqat points out that both chambers of congress have already passed budget resolutions cutting ag spending. Spurqat: "The Senate passed a resolution with at 2.8 billion dollars in cut to ag over five years and the House at 5.3, but there were no instructions within those budget resolutions as to where those cuts would come from. Just that ag would but 5.3 billion in the House and the Senate resolution said 2.8 billion." Spurqat says NAWG would prefer no cuts to farm programs, putting off changes until a new farm bill in 2007. Spurqat: "But we are working with both the House and Senate committees. Obviously if there are cuts we would like them to be as little as possible." Speaking before an ag journalists convention this week, the chairmen of the House and Senate Ag Committees said they would both make some cuts to achieve budget reconciliation but they declined to say what cuts they would make. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.
Previous Report04/13/05 Wheat and CAFTA
Next Report04/15/05 Wash Potato Commission bill update