FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 6, 1996
CONTACT: Dana Hagerty 202/225-2165
WASHINGTON, DC -- Congressman Collin C. Peterson (DFL-7th District) has labeled as ‘unconscionable’ the latest proposals to cut agriculture programs by the House Appropriations subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies.
“The Republicans are undermining farm payments before they have even started. These payments were supposed to be guaranteed for 7 years, not seven weeks,” Peterson said. “The Freedom to Farm Bill was signed into law less than two months ago, and this action by the House agriculture appropriations subcommittee will make a bad situation for farmers even worse.”
The House agriculture appropriations subcommittee has voted to cut the market transition program payments to farmers by $98 million in FY97, and cap the price of cane sugar at 21.2 cents-per-pound. The $12.7 billion FY97 Agriculture Appropriations bill is $600 million less than the FY96 funding level.
“Sugar is the only farm commodity that this appropriations bill singles out with a government-imposed price cap,” Peterson said. “That could result in a $750 million loss to sugar farmers by encouraging imports from heavily subsidized European sugar producers. The profits of sugar refiners and giant food companies will increase, with no benefit to consumers.
“We need to balance the federal budget, but doing it on the backs of Minnesota’s farmers is absolutely ridiculous and unnecessary -- and the Blue Dog budget proves that it can be done,” Peterson continued. “This whole issue is being driven by the tax cuts in the Republican budget.
“I think Democrats will almost unanimously oppose the Agriculture Appropriations bill if it contains these cuts,” Peterson said. “Even though I didn’t vote for the 1996 Farm Bill, it was a contract this government made with farmers and ranchers, and I am amazed that it is being broken this soon.”