Perdue Addresses 2020 Budget Proposal Before Lawmakers

Earlier this week, Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue went before lawmakers to answer questions about the proposed 2020 budget.  Ag appropriations Chair Sanford Bishop told Perdue his budget to cut discretionary spending more than 20% will be rejected.

“Rural broadband funding was cut by $350 million, I was disappointed that the budget cuts agricultural research by over $179 million," Bishop said.  "I was disappointed to see that, under this budget, there would be significant staffing reductions, specifically in rural development and the Farm Service Agency.

Bishop also took issue with proposed changes to the SNAP program, which he said Congress will reject.

“Our administration has taken the step of providing a fiscally responsible budget that doesn’t continue to kick the can down the road on a $22 trillion deficit,” Secretary Perdue answered.

Perdue defended reorganization of the Economic Research Service and moving ERS and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.  Bishop called it a “solution in search of a problem.”

Secretary Perdue however, seconded the urgent need for farm disaster assistance, tied up in Congress, arguing USDA does not cover flood losses of stored grain.

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