Lincoln and Roberts Lead Charge Against Ag Program Cuts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 2009
Contact: Katie Laning Niebaum, Leah Vest
(202) 224-4843

WASHINGTON - In preparation for the upcoming budget debate, Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Pat Roberts (R-KS) led a group of bipartisan Senators in sending a letter to Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Ranking Member Judd Gregg (R-NH) strongly opposing the agriculture program cuts included in the President's budget proposal and additional efforts to reopen the 2008 Farm Bill.

"The Farm Bill is a completely paid for, bipartisan product representing two years of negotiations and tremendous sacrifice on the part of production agriculture," Lincoln said. "That agreement is not even one year old as the Administration proposes reopening those portions that affect producers. I look forward to working with the Administration and my colleagues in Congress on a responsible budget that cuts the deficit without jeopardizing the safe and abundant supply of food that is taken for granted all too often."

"We have seen tremendous participation gains in the crop insurance program over the last 30 years. More producers are properly managing their risks to the benefit of producers, consumers and taxpayers," Roberts said. "In a time of economic uncertainty, it doesn't make sense to put 30 years of risk protection progress in further jeopardy."

Lincoln and Roberts are both members of the Senate Agriculture Committee and the Senate Finance Committee.

In addition to Lincoln and Roberts, the letter was signed by Senators Max Baucus (D-MT), Kit Bond (R-MO), Sam Brownback (R-KS), Richard Burr (R-NC), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Bob Corker (R-TN), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), James Inhofe (R-OK), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Mark Pryor (D-AR), David Vitter (R-LA), and Roger Wicker (R-MS).