Senate Considers Deep Cuts to Organic and Sustainable Ag

The National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture is urging immediate pressure on U.S. Senators to prevent deep cuts to funding of programs for organic and sustainable farming and food production. At the same time, NO cuts are being proposed for the two programs that constitute almost all the billions of dollars in agriculture-related funding: commodity and crop insurance subsidies. From the National Campaign comments: The House bill would make very major cuts in agricultural research and extension, rural development, and domestic and international feeding programs. It would also eliminate funding completely for a number of small programs of great importance to sustainable, organic, beginning and minority farmers. The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (ATTRA), Organic Transitions Research Program, Office of Advocacy and Outreach (to coordinate policy and outreach to beginning, women, and minority farmers), and the Office of Tribal Relations program would all be terminated. These are programs that with minimal resources are charged with serving the most chronically underserved segments of agriculture. Slating programs of such small means for termination suggests a motive that has little to do with deficit reduction. Terminating these programs is unjust and discriminatory. See their action alert at: http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/take-action-oppose-reckless-spend...