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Perdue trying to defend Trump-proposed budget
By RACHEL LANE
D.C. Correspondent
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. — USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue defended the proposed budget that would cut about 25 percent of his agency’s funding, while also telling senators he will do everything he can to protect vital programs.
  
The budget proposed by the Trump administration would cut more than 20 government programs. The cuts to the USDA budget are among the highest and would completely eliminate some programs and services.

The budget was presented to Congress before Perdue was approved as the head of the USDA. Perdue has been called on to explain the proposed budget several times, most recently before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture,

Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies. Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), the committee chairman, said one of his concerns is the funding level suggested but added the administration supports rural America.

“Reductions proposed by the president’s budget will directly impact small, rural communities that many of us call home,” he said. “Production agriculture is the cornerstone of local, rural economies and weakening the farm safety net would leave farmers and ranchers vulnerable to local commodity prices and unforeseen weather conditions.”

Hoeven said the American economy has relied on U.S. agriculture, and low commodity prices for the last several years, have hit farmers hard. Allowing and encouraging international trade is vital to assisting farmers.

“I support strong national defense, but the burden of the balance in the budget cannot be placed on farmers and our rural communities,” he said.

The 2014 Farm Bill is expected to save American taxpayers about $23 billion. Reducing the budget for the USDA more would cause impacts to programs in place to support infrastructure, growing small businesses and eliminate the position of under secretary of rural development.

“Good farm policy benefits every single American every single day with the highest quality, lowest cost food supply in the history of the world,” he said.

Perdue said five of the eight years he was governor, the budget was less than the previous year because of the recession. It wasn’t his choice, but the budget had to be balanced and they made it work.

Perdue said crop insurance, research and trade are vital to American farmers and those programs need to be protected. Food assistance programs, broadband programs, and the employees in each state that help answer farmers’ questions are also important. He has also utilized the 2014 Farm Bill provision allowing him to find a trade undersecretary. “Hold me accountable for the resources you give me. I’m a farmer, at heart. I’m going to make it go as far as you do,” Perdue said.

He will work to “right-size” the budget. “Your input on this budget is critical, and it came down from the president. … The priorities, I gather, are not your priorities,” said Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.).

He asked Perdue to defend Research and Development funds, nutrition programs, and rural development programs while also educating other members of the Senate about the priorities of agriculture. “I don’t think you’ll find a stronger advocate for the things you and I agree on, Senator,” Perdue said in response.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) said more than 20 research programs would be eliminated completely while the rest would be cut at a time innovation is needed in agriculture. The USDA’s ability to provide customer service for farmers would be hit hard. Farm Service Agency would lose almost 1,000 employees and conservation programs would lose millions in funding. 
 
Rural development is gutted, with 40 programs including rural business services and wastewater disposal programs would be eliminated com-pletely. “The budget is a reflection of the president’s priorities. It doesn’t take long to determine based on this budget, Rural families and farming are not a priority for this president,” Merkley said.

He said he thinks rural Americans and farmers are a priority for Perdue, and he hopes Perdue will tell Trump what a budget would look like that would empower and support rural Americans. “The budget comes across less as a ‘make American agriculture great’ budget and more as a ‘rural America and farmers last’ budget,” he said.

The budget is proposed by the president but the House and Senate members must work to pass a budget. If it takes too long to reach an agreement, Congress can pass a Continuing Resolution to keep Federal agencies operating at current funding. If that is not passed, the government would shut down and all non-essential employees would be furloughed. 
6/20/2017