A coalition of more than 250 agricultural, conservation, financial and nutritional organizations is asking Congress not to make any cuts in farm bill programs in the fiscal year 2017 appropriations or re-open any title of the 2014 farm bill through the 2017 Budget Resolution.
In a letter to the leadership of the House and Senate appropriations committees and budget committee, the coalition reminded the leaders that the 2014 farm bill “made a significant contribution to deficit reduction” of $16 billion over 10 years. The coalition says, “The Congressional Budget Office projects that mandatory farm bill spending will decline over the next five years, while mandatory federal spending outside the Agriculture Committee’s jurisdiction will rise over the same time period.”
Those signing the letter include American Association of Crop Insurers, American Forest Foundation, American Heart Association, American Soybean Association, Bread for the World, Ducks Unlimited, Farm Credit Council, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Corn Growers Association, National Cotton Council, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Farmers Union and National Wildlife Federation.
