Lawmakers looking for spending cuts to avert the fiscal cliff may try to include the nearly $1 trillion House Agriculture Committee–passed farm bill and its $35 billion in “savings” as part of a “grand bargain.”[1] While savings would be welcome, they should be used for deficit reduction, not to pay for new spending. They should also be based on responsible policy.
The department’s helpline is less than a year old. But advocates hope state lawmakers fully fund it as farmers and ranchers continue to face hard economic times and isolation.
With supply chain and environmental issues making farming tougher, many potato farmers are worried about rising prices and shortages impacting shoppers across the country.