The Trump administration on Tuesday, (May 23, 2017) released the president’s federal budget for fiscal year 2018. The proposed ag budget fails farmers and ranchers, AFBF President Zippy Duvall said in a statement, (May 23, 2017).  He noted:  

“The administration’s budget proposal fails to recognize agriculture’s current financial challenges or its historical contribution to deficit reduction. It would gut federal crop insurance, one of the nation’s most important farm safety-net programs. It would drastically reshape important voluntary conservation programs and negatively impact consumer confidence in critical meat and poultry inspection. This proposal would hamper the viability of plant and animal security programs at our borders and undermine the nation’s grain quality and market information systems. It would stunt rural America’s economic growth by eliminating important utility programs and other rural development programs.”  

The president’s budget is only the first step in the annual federal budget process. It establishes a marker for the administration’s priorities, but it is Congress that writes the budget and appropriations bills. AFBF will work closely with the House and Senate Agriculture, Budget and Appropriations Committees as the budget process moves forward.