May 24, 2017

A recent White House budget proposed US$46.54 billion in cuts to US federal government funding for the agriculture sector over the next 10 years, Reuters reported.

President Donald Trump's biggest cut would come in the form of a US$38 billion bite out of farm supports, including new limits on federal subsidies for crop insurance premiums and caps for commodity payments.

The overall proposed budget cuts would eliminate the Rural Economic Development program, which provides zero-interest loans to rural utilities and support to rural businesses.

The move would also reduce government coverage of costs for federal inspectors at meat plants starting in fiscal 2019 by implementing US$600 million in annual user fees for the USDA's Food and Safety Inspection Service.

- Reuters