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Ag economist says proposed budget guts USDA

An ag economist calls proposed cuts outlined in the Trump administration’s 2026 USDA budget irresponsible.

 American Enterprise Institute’s director of agricultural policy studies Vince Smith tells Brownfield gutting agriculture research is a prime example.

“The long run consequences in terms of productivity, in terms of long-term global food production, and more local U.S. production are likely to be devastating,” he says.

The proposed budget under consideration would cut the agency by $7 billion from the current fiscal year. The Ag Research Service would be reduced by $96 million and the Economic Research Service by $10 million.

“It depends on where the cuts are being made as to whether or not they are reasonable, but the meat cleaver approach is clearly inappropriate,” he says.

The Institute is a non-partisan public policy think tank based in Washington, D.C.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service faces more than $800 million in cuts, with most of the reductions coming from technical assistance operations. The administration says farmers will continue to receive assistance from all sources of funding, and with efficiencies that reflect greater reliance on State and local conservation districts.

Budgets for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Child Nutrition Programs were halved, while the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, McGovern-Dole International Food for Education, and International Food Procurement Program were eliminated.

The Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program, Dairy Business Innovation, and ReConnect Direct Loans and Grants Programs are just a few of the many initiatives that would also be shuttered if the proposal is approved.

Increases are being requested for the Risk Management Agency, Rural Housing Service, and some food safety programs.

The administration is proposing to cut 23 percent of the federal budget to streamline government programs, cut waste, and reduce the federal deficit.