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Nebraska Farmers Union |
1305
Plum Street • Lincoln, NE 68502 Contact
John Hansen Office: 402-476-8815, Fax: 402-476-8859, Cell: 402-580-8815 |
Farmers Union: Senate Committee’s Agriculture Cuts Step in Wrong Direction
WASHINGTON (October 19, 2005)-National Farmers Union said today’s Senate Agriculture Committee approval of a budget plan containing more than $3 billion in cuts to vital agriculture programs is a step in the wrong direction for rural America.
“Farmers and ranchers are facing low commodity prices, skyrocketing energy costs, and devastating weather conditions,” NFU President Dave Frederickson said. “If the cuts that passed the committee today are adopted, they will place a further burden on rural America.”
“Are these cuts fair? Absolutely not,” said John K. Hansen, President of the Nebraska Farmers Union. “Federal spending on farm programs amounts to less one half of one percent of total federal spending, yet agriculture is being singled out to absorb 9 percent of the total spending cuts. That means agriculture would get over 20 times its fair share of the cuts. Let us not forget that the reason Congress is cutting spending by $35 billion is so it can finance the over $70 billion in tax breaks it gave to the richest 2 percent of all taxpayers. That is just plain wrong.”
Hansen said, “The cuts in conservation will hurt Nebraska because of the large number of Conservation Reserve Program contracts in our state. That will decrease wildlife habitat, and increase soil erosion and row crop production which will further depress grain commodities that are currently below prices they were over 50 years ago. The last thing we need is more acres in production further depressing grain prices. At a time when rural America needs a helping hand, this Congress seems intent on giving rural America a kick in the teeth. These proposed budget cuts are misguided, and downright mean spirited,” Hansen concluded.
The Agriculture Committee’s plan includes provisions to cut farm $1.296 billion from the farm safety net annually for 2006 thru 2010. It also makes $1.054 billion in reductions in conservation spending. “It does not make sense for Congress to cut programs that are helping to keep rural America afloat at the same time they are making major tax cuts for the nation’s wealthy,” Frederickson said.
The reconciliation package did include an extension of the MILC program. However, the MILC payment is reduced by 27.5 percent from the previous program that expired on Sept 30.
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