President Trump Budget Proposal Guts Farm Bill Programs

President Trump Budget Proposal Guts Farm Bill Programs

Agriculture initiatives threatened by financial cutbacks

www.agcouncilar.org On Monday, March 11th, President Trump presented a budget proposal to Congress for the upcoming 2020 fiscal year, which begins October 1st. The presidential proposal, which typically does little to influence Congress, called for dramatic cuts to agriculture, including programs just recently enacted through the 2018 farm bill.

President Trump proposed in his budget a 15 percent cut to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s budget, and included significant reforms to safety net programs. The safety net cuts were expressed in major farm program eligibility restrictions, payment limitations, and reductions in crop insurance investments.

The proposed cuts effectively represent a denial of the promises made in the 2018 farm bill that passed Congress overwhelmingly and was signed into law by President Trump.

Fortunately this is just a proposal and Congress is tasked with actually establishing budgets and allocating funds to support the implementation of the farm bill. As the old saying goes in relation to Presidential budget proposals, “the President proposes, and Congress disposes,” and we at the Ag Council of Arkansas hope that statement holds true again in this case.

From the Agricultural of Arkansas