February 28, 2006
The Honorable Judd Gregg
Chairman, Budget Committee
United States Senate
624 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Jim Nussle
Chairman, Budget Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
309 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Kent Conrad
Ranking Member, Budget Committee
United States Senate
530 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable John Spratt Jr.
Ranking Member, Budget Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
1401 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Chairman Gregg, Chairman Nussle, Sen. Conrad and Rep. Spratt:
The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (FSRIA) was enacted four years ago following two years of exhaustive debate in the House and Senate. The new farm law represents a delicate balance by effectively addressing the stability of our agricultural production base, protecting our important natural resources, and enhancing nutrition and food assistance programs in our nation.
The mandatory programs administered by the Department of Agriculture (i.e., commodity, conservation, crop insurance, export promotion programs, nutrition, forestry and other valuable programs) are of enormous importance to farmers, ranchers, rural businesses, low-income Americans and all our nation's children. Therefore, we respectfully urge the Budget Committees to avoid reconciliation instructions to the Senate and House Agriculture Committees.
In addition, we urge the Budget Committees to adequately fund discretionary spending. Given the cuts agricultural programs have already sustained over the last several years, we ask that you not adopt a discretionary spending level that requires agricultural programs to take additional budget reductions.
Thank you for consideration of our views.
Sincerely,
American Association of Crop Insurers
American Beekeeping Federation
American Corn Growers Association
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Farmland Trust
American Sheep Industry Association
American Society of Agronomy
American Soybean Association
California Coalition for Food and Farming
Cape Cod Cranberry Growers
Certified Crop Advisers
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Crop Insurance Professionals Agency
Crop Insurance Research Bureau
Crop Science Society of America
Dairy Farmers of America
Defenders of Wildlife
Farm Credit Council
Florida Tomato Exchange
Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America
Land O Lakes
Midwest Dairy Coalition
National Association of Conservation Districts
National Association of Counties
National Association of State Conservation Agencies
National Association of Wheat Growers
National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture
National Corn Growers Association
National Cotton Council
National Farmers Organization
National Farmers Union
National Sorghum Producers
National Milk Producers Federation
National Pork Producers Council
National Wildlife Federation
Northeast States Association for Agricultural Stewardship
Rain and Hail, L.L.C.
Rural Community Insurance Services
Soil Science Society of America
South East Dairy Farmers Association
Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
The Council of Northeast Farmer Cooperatives
The Nature Conservancy
U.S. Apple Association
US Rice Producers Association
USA Rice Federation
United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association
Western United Dairymen