"Considering that producers have saved roughly $16 billion dollars since the Farm Bill's inception because of strong commodity prices, these across the board reductions are incredibly unfair to producers. You can't, and shouldn't, balance such a tremendous deficit on the backs of our nation's producers," says Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., of President Bush’s proposed ag budget.
North Dakota Ag Commissioner Roger Johnson (D) says the President’s budget "represents a direct blow to North Dakota agriculture."
He says the budget:
- Cuts discretionary spending on agricultural programs by $2.6 billion for the next fiscal year, a reduction of more than 10%.
- Reduces spending on crop insurance programs by $140 million per year, almost certainly resulting in higher premiums for producers.
- Ties loan deficiency payments to historic production at a time when many North Dakota producers have undergone poor harvests due to weather and disease.
- Significantly reduces funding for agricultural research.
- Substantially weakens the farm safety net.
- Significantly reduces loan rates and LDPs.
Substantially alters the planning horizon for producers promised in the 2002 Farm Bill.