02/20/06 Don`t cut ag programs says House Cmte

02/20/06 Don`t cut ag programs says House Cmte

Farm and Ranch February 20, 2006 By a unanimous voice vote, the U.S. House Agriculture Committee last week approved a letter to the chamber's Budget Committee that forcefully argues for maintaining farm program spending at current levels for 2007. President Bush's proposed 2007 budget seeks across the board cuts in farm program payments. Ranking Democrat on the House Ag Committee Collin Peterson praised Republican Chairman Bob Goodlatte for crafting the letter. Peterson: "I think it is a very clear letter which is a clear and defensible case to the Budget Committee. Now is not the time for tinkering with traditional programs in our committee's jurisdiction. Chairman I am pleased to join you in signing the letter and I urge my colleagues to support it." In its letter the Ag Committee disputes the administration's claim that the 2002 Farm Bill will end up costing more than Congress thought. The panel says in the letter that total farm bill costs through fiscal year 2005 are 36 billion dollars less than Congress projected in 2002. And the letter says total farm fill costs through 2008 are projected to be 17 billion dollars less than anticipated. The Committee's letter also point out that the farm program is little more than a year away from expiration and argues against making substantial changes to it before the 2007 farm bill is enacted. The panel also makes note of USDA's own projection of a 23 percent decline in net farm income this year. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.
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