No ag program cuts in Senate-passed funding resolution
March 02, 2011 | 04:22 PM
By JERRY HAGSTROM
The Senate today passed a two-week government finance resolution that does not include any cuts in the agriculture programs, just as farm and nutrition groups launched campaigns to try to oppose the deep cuts in a longer term spending bill that the House passed on February 19.
The Senate voted 91-9 on the measure that the House passed Tuesday. President Obama is expected to sign the measure, and a government shutdown that could have started at midnight Friday will be averted.
The measure cuts spending by $4 billion, but the only Agriculture Department program affected is a $29 million broadband account that Obama had also targeted. More budget battles will follow. At least one more two-week continuing resolution is likely before Congress agrees on a measure to finance the government for the rest of the fiscal year, through September 30. Fiscal year 2012 begins October 1.
Meanwhile, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, which represents smaller and organic farmers, sent its members an email today urging them to call or write senators to oppose measures in House Resolution 1 that would slash agriculture programs.
“The bill unfairly targets programs that serve sustainable and organic farmers,” the coalition said. "It makes steep cuts in agricultural research, extension and farm credit.”
“It makes deep cuts to funding provided in the 2008 farm fill for conservation and would terminate programs that serve beginning and minority farmers without making any cuts to commodity or crop insurance funding,” the email continued. “The cuts are reckless and unjust, threatening economic recovery in rural communities struggling to create jobs, find new markets, and renew economic life.”
The Food Research and Action Center has also expressed concern about nutrition cuts in the longer-term resolution passed by the House. FRAC, which lobbies on a range of anti-hunger issues, noted that the measure focuses on discretionary spending and would not cut the supplemental nutrition assistance program or SNAP, the new name for food stamps.
The measure would cut the special nutrition program for women, infants and children known as WIC, which serves 49 percent of newborn children, by $747 million to $6.5 billion, but FRAC seems more concerned about other cuts.
“While the $6.504 billion funding level is likely to be adequate, it leaves very little room over the next seven months for possible bigger-than-expected increases in food prices or demand for services,” FRAC said in an email. “In addition, this funding level precludes the enhancement of the fruit and vegetables benefits for children.”
FRAC noted that the House resolution would fund the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) at $151.4 million, a cut of $20 million from the fiscal year 2011 funding level of $171.4 million. CSFP caseloads would need to be reduced significantly and the six newly approved states (Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts and Rhode Island) would not be able to begin CSFP operations, FRAC said. The House resolution would also zero-out the Congressional Hunger Center, hunger free communities grants, community gardens among other cuts.
FRAC said it is concerned about other programs that would affect low-income people, especially the cut to heating assistance, and is working with other groups to try to convince the Senate to stop them.
The Senate today passed a two-week government finance resolution that does not include any cuts in the agriculture programs, just as farm and nutrition groups launched campaigns to try to oppose the deep cuts in a longer term spending bill that the House passed on February 19.
The Senate voted 91-9 on the measure that the House passed Tuesday. President Obama is expected to sign the measure, and a government shutdown that could have started at midnight Friday will be averted.
The measure cuts spending by $4 billion, but the only Agriculture Department program affected is a $29 million broadband account that Obama had also targeted. More budget battles will follow. At least one more two-week continuing resolution is likely before Congress agrees on a measure to finance the government for the rest of the fiscal year, through September 30. Fiscal year 2012 begins October 1.
Meanwhile, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, which represents smaller and organic farmers, sent its members an email today urging them to call or write senators to oppose measures in House Resolution 1 that would slash agriculture programs.
“The bill unfairly targets programs that serve sustainable and organic farmers,” the coalition said. "It makes steep cuts in agricultural research, extension and farm credit.”
“It makes deep cuts to funding provided in the 2008 farm fill for conservation and would terminate programs that serve beginning and minority farmers without making any cuts to commodity or crop insurance funding,” the email continued. “The cuts are reckless and unjust, threatening economic recovery in rural communities struggling to create jobs, find new markets, and renew economic life.”
The Food Research and Action Center has also expressed concern about nutrition cuts in the longer-term resolution passed by the House. FRAC, which lobbies on a range of anti-hunger issues, noted that the measure focuses on discretionary spending and would not cut the supplemental nutrition assistance program or SNAP, the new name for food stamps.
The measure would cut the special nutrition program for women, infants and children known as WIC, which serves 49 percent of newborn children, by $747 million to $6.5 billion, but FRAC seems more concerned about other cuts.
“While the $6.504 billion funding level is likely to be adequate, it leaves very little room over the next seven months for possible bigger-than-expected increases in food prices or demand for services,” FRAC said in an email. “In addition, this funding level precludes the enhancement of the fruit and vegetables benefits for children.”
FRAC noted that the House resolution would fund the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) at $151.4 million, a cut of $20 million from the fiscal year 2011 funding level of $171.4 million. CSFP caseloads would need to be reduced significantly and the six newly approved states (Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts and Rhode Island) would not be able to begin CSFP operations, FRAC said. The House resolution would also zero-out the Congressional Hunger Center, hunger free communities grants, community gardens among other cuts.
FRAC said it is concerned about other programs that would affect low-income people, especially the cut to heating assistance, and is working with other groups to try to convince the Senate to stop them.
