National Farmers Union Opposes USDA Reorganization

The National Farmers Union says reorganization of the USDA as proposed last week would “cause harm” to programs that benefit farmers and rural America.  In a letter to Congress, Farmers Union President Roger Johnson said underfunding or understaffing or demoting the rural development issue area of USDA would harm rural America.

The letter says programs under the rural development portfolio provide critical resources and technical assistance for some of the most underserved communities in the country.  The letter also noted the USDA reorganization is the result of a congressional directive included in the 2014 Farm Bill, which instructed USDA to create a new Undersecretary of Trade.  Although Congress directed USDA to create a Trade undersecretary, NFU says USDA was under no legal obligation to eliminate any other mission area or undersecretary to accomplish the directive.

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