Meat+Poultry - July 2017 - 12

WA S H I N G T O N

Ag budget draws criticism
President Donald Trump on May 23
proposed a fiscal year 2018 budget for
the US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA)
at $137 billion, down $12 billion, or
8 percent, from an estimated $149
billion in FY 2017, and outlined budget
aims over the next 10 years that
would sharply reduce expenditures
and even eliminate a number of longstanding programs.
Leaders of the congressional
agriculture committees pushed back
against several of the more draconian
proposals, which were roundly panned
by farm and nutrition organizations.
The president's FY 2018 USDA
budget called for funding mandatory
programs, those required by laws other
than annual appropriations acts, such
as the farm bill, at $116 billion, down
6 percent from $123 billion in FY 2017.
The USDA requested $73.6 billion for
SNAP for FY 2018, down $4.9 billion, or
6 percent, from $78.5 billion in FY 2017.
The budget would reduce spending
on discretionary programs to $21 billion
in FY 2018, down about $4.8 billion, or
19 percent, from the current year. A
large share in the decrease in requested
funding for discretionary programs in
FY 2018 was tied to eliminating funding
for the P.L. 480 Title II, Food for Peace,
which is the principal vehicle through
which the United States provides

emergency and developmental food
assistance to developing nations.
Congress appropriated $1,713 million
for P.L. 480 Title II operations in FY
2017. A scaled back international
food assistance funding request was
transferred to the International Disaster
Account, which is managed by the
State Department's US Agency for
International Development.
Additionally, the president's budget
would eliminate the McGovern-Dole
International Food for Education
Program, a school feeding program
authorized under the 2002 farm bill for
which Congress provided $201 million
in funding in FY 2017.
Of particular concern for legislators,
farm organizations and nutrition
assistance program advocates were the
administration's proposals impacting
federal spending over the next 10 years.
It was estimated the president's budget
would cut $231 billion in mandatory
farm bill spending over 10 years,
including a $193 billion cut in SNAP.
In introducing the USDA's budget
request, Secretary of Agriculture George
(Sonny) Perdue, said, "President Trump
promised he would realign government
spending, attempt to eliminate
duplication or redundancy, and see that
all government agencies are efficiently
delivering services to the taxpayers of
America. And that's exactly what we are
going to do at the USDA.
"Having been the governor of Georgia

from 2003 to 2011 - not during the best
economic times - we did what it took
to get the job done, just like the people
involved in every aspect of American
agriculture do every single day. While the
president's budget fully funds nutrition
programs, wildland fire suppression
and food safety, and includes several
new initiatives and increases for rural
development, whatever form the final
budget takes, it is my job as secretary of
agriculture to manage and implement
that plan, while still fulfilling the core
mission of the USDA."
In a joint statement, Rep. K. Michael
Conaway of Texas, chairman of the
House Committee on Agriculture, and
Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas, chairman of
the Senate Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition and Forestry, said, "We support
the Trump administration's goal of
achieving 3 percent economic growth for
our nation. The USDA's latest estimates
find agriculture, food, and related
industries contribute $992 billion to
our economy. As we debate the budget
and the next farm bill, we will fight to
ensure farmers have a strong safety net
so this key segment of our economy can
weather current hard times and continue
to provide all Americans with safe,
affordable food. Also, as a part of farm
bill discussions, we need to take a look
at our nutrition assistance programs to
ensure that they are helping the most
vulnerable in our society."
JAY S J E RV E N | m e a t p o u l t r y @ s o s l a n d .c o m

12

MEAT+ POULTRY | 07.17 | www.meatpoultry.com

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Legislators, farm organizations and nutrition
assistance program advocates are concerned
about the administration's proposals for
legislation that will affect federal spending
over the next 10 years.
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Meat+Poultry - July 2017

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