By KEVIN WALKER

Michigan Correspondent 

LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) is pushing back against President Donald Trump’s proposed budget for the USDA, but is still not panicking over the situation.

According to a statement from the MFB’s National Affairs Specialist John Kran, the Trump administration’ proposed budget for agriculture for Fiscal Year 2018 – released March 16 – calls for a 21 percent or a $4.7 billion reduction in USDA discretionary spending, through as well as reductions to Ag Research and Rural Development projects, including elimination of a $498 million USDA grant and loan program for rural water and waste water projects.
In his March 17 statement, Kran said the Trump budget blueprint for agriculture has been met with “caution and opposition” among agriculture leaders.

“It’s Congress who writes the budget, not the president,” Kran said. “Ironically, we shared our message on the 2018 farm bill with Michigan’s congressional delegation just this week during our Washington Legislative Seminar – no more budget cuts for agriculture.

“Our members asked congressional members to reject calls for additional cuts, especially at a time when the agricultural and rural economies are showing stress. U.S. farm income has declined 46 percent from only three years ago.”

The president’s budget blueprint proposes $17.9 billion in discretionary funding for the USDA in 2018.

The proposed budget eliminates the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education Program. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) has come out opposing elimination of this program, which purchases U.S. commodities to countries around the world.

The blueprint also reduces funding for USDA’s statistical capabilities. The AFBF has come out opposing this reduction as well, which would limit the essential business information farmers and ranchers use to guide their business decisions, according to the MFB statement. 

The proposal continues funding for farmer-focused research, extension partnerships at land-grant universities and provides around $350 million for USDA’s competitive research program. AFBF supports this funding. The budget blueprint fully funds the Food Safety and Inspection Service, which AFBF supports as well.

In a statement issued March 16, U.S. Rep. Michael Conaway, chairman of the House agriculture committee, said that he appreciated the president’s proposal to block the EPA’s Clean Power Plan and other “job killing regulations put forward by the Obama administration.”

“On the USDA budget, I am concerned that the cuts, while relatively small in the context of the total federal budget, could hamper some vital work of the (agriculture) Department,” he said.

“I think it is very important to remember that net farm income is down 50 percent from where it stood just four years ago. America’s farmers and ranchers are struggling, and we need to be extremely careful not to exacerbate these conditions. In fact, we need to do all we can to be there to help our farmers and ranchers. The work they do is critical. A well-fed world is a safer world.

“I think it is also important to point out that the agriculture committees put together a Farm Bill in 2014 that saved more than $100 billion, according to latest estimates. That’s more than four times the savings we had pledged. Agriculture has done more than its fair share. As we in Congress get ready to write the budget, we will certainly pay close attention to the president’s recommendations, many of which I suspect will be incorporated into the budget. But, we will also have ideas on what the budget should look like, and our priorities will also be taken into account. The bottom line is this is the start of a longer, larger process. It is a proposal, not THE budget.” 

The MFB’s Kran struck a similar note, saying the “real” budget work will be done by the Congress. He also said that farmers and consumers will need to provide input throughout the legislative process.