Harkin Opposes Budget Plan to Cut Farm and Conservation Assistance

HARKIN OPPOSES BUDGET PLAN TO CUT FARM AND CONSERVATION ASSISTANCE

Harkin objects to Republican plan to worsen deficits with tax giveaways to the nation's wealthiest while scaling back agriculture and conservation funding

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2005
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today opposed the Republican agriculture budget plan narrowly approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee. The agriculture budget, which is part of a broader Republican plan, takes $3 billion away from conservation and income protection for farmers while worsening the federal budget deficit through tax giveaways to the country's wealthiest. The net effect of the Republican plan would increase the federal budget deficit by $35 billion dollars over the next five years, adding to the massive deficits racked up since the Bush Administration took office.

"There is a lot of talk around Washington about cutting the budget to reign in the Bush Administration's runaway deficits," Harkin said. "We need fiscal responsibility, but the agriculture cuts are part of a budget plan that worsens the deficit. Republicans are paying lip service to the deficit, but their goal is passing more tax breaks for the wealthiest."

Harkin offered amendments ensuring that the nation's largest farms were not given opportunities to avoid budget cuts in a way that is not available to small and medium sized farms. Harkin's amendments would have ensured federal payment limitations were applied fairly to the country's largest farms. Those amendments were rejected.

"Small and medium sized farmers received a blow today with the Senate Agriculture Committee voting to maintain special treatment for the nation's largest farmers," said Harkin. "This plan allows those farmers who already get the most assistance to receive preferential treatment."

The budget cuts made to farm and conservation today total $3 billion and come at a time when energy costs are soaring for America's farmers and businesses. This year alone, USDA estimates that these skyrocketing energy prices will cost farmers nearly $5 billion dollars more than the previous year.

"This is not the right time to be scaling back our safety net for struggling farmers and rural communities," Harkin said. "Farmers who are being hit hardest by record energy costs and slumping commodity prices will sacrifice under this proposal."

The Republican proposal also disproportionately targets initiatives assisting farmers in improving water and air quality, decreasing soil erosion and preserving habitat for wildlife. Conservation initiatives, which constitute eight percent of the agriculture budget, constitute 35 percent of the funding cuts in today's budget bill. The Conservation Security Program (CSP) which Harkin authored in the 2002 farm bill faces a 30 percent reduction in funds over the next five years. This comes on top of over $3 billion in cuts made to CSP over the last two years in other spending legislation.

"This budget seriously hurts farm conservation initiatives that provide all Americans with an improved environment," Harkin said. "There is resounding support around the country for increased farm conservation and this plan flies plainly in the face of what farmers and the public want."

Senator Harkin authored provisions of the 2002 farm bill establishing the Conservation Security Program (CSP) to provide financial assistance to farmers for conservation in a way that is not trade distorting and is agreeable to U.S. trade partners. The cuts made to the program today will substantially scale back CSP's expansion and prevent tens of thousands of farmers from enrolling in this program.

"Cutting CSP at a time when the President has proposed scaling back commodity farm assistance in our WTO negotiations is the wrong step for America's farmers," Harkin said. "CSP offers a way to provide financial assistance to farmers for conservation that is agreeable to our trade partners and provides the public with an improved environment. Now is not the time to be slashing CSP."

http://harkin.senate.gov/news.cfm?id=247451