Minnesota Farm Bureau Unhappy With Presidents Proposed Budget

The Minnesota Farm Bureau released a statement today voicing their concerns over the President's proposed budget. The group is worried that the budget is dangerous because of the cut specifically to crop insurance.

The Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation President, Kevin Paap, voiced his concerns in the press release:

“Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation is extremely concerned that President Trump’s administration is proposing budget cuts to the farm bill, specifically crop insurance. These are decisions we strongly oppose,” said Paap. “Crop insurance provides a strong safety net when help is needed most. The current farm economy demonstrates how important these programs are. Cutting them would be devastating to farm families, our state and rural Minnesota economies.”

Paap went on to say:

"This is a public private partnership that works,” said Paap. “We cannot balance the budget on the backs of the farm bill. To protect our nation, you need to protect a stable food supply.”

According to Reuters, President Trump's budget plans to slash the USDA's discretionary budget by $4.7 billion. The major cuts came from halting funding for rural clean water initiatives and rural business service.

It will be interesting to see where this goes in Minnesota's Congress, as we know how important agriculture is to our Minnesota communities.