News

House subcommittee proposes ag spending cuts

A House Appropriations subcommittee is proposing a 14 percent cut in fiscal year 2012 ag spending.

The bill, which is set for subcommittee mark up Tuesday,calls for 17-point-two billion dollars in ag spending, nearly two-point-seven billion less than the year before. 

A legislative draft released Monday shows discretionary funding for ag research would be reduced by 354-million dollars.  Rural development programs would be cut by 338 million dollars from last year’s levels. 

According to wire reports, the proposal would also make significant cuts in domestic nutrition programs and international food assistance.   However, Republicans who wrote the bill says the cuts in domestic food programs are taken from excess dollars in those accounts, and participants won’t see a decrease in services.