Today, House Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN-02) released the following statement in response to the president’s 2026 budget proposal which cuts around $5 billion from critical U.S. Department of Agriculture programs that support farm country.
“The president’s budget proposal is out of touch and ignores the needs of America’s farmers, ranchers, foresters and rural communities. At a time when farmers are reeling from trade wars, funding freezes and mass layoffs at USDA, gutting technical assistance at the Farm Service Agency will make it impossible for farmers to access the resources they need to do their jobs. The president’s budget also poses real danger to our communities by slashing funding for programs that assist local and state partners with wildfire prevention. A budget is a values document, and this budget does not value farm country," said Ranking Member Craig.
Some of the most egregious cuts that will harm farm country are:
Zeroing out conservation technical assistance will massively hinder the ability of farmers to enroll in USDA conservation programs. No farmer wants this program cut.
Eliminating funding for the Forest Service’s Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration program, one of the Agency’s most popular and effective programs, will actively hinder our ability to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and support economic revitalization in rural communities
Slashing support for state, tribal, and private forestry programs that provide technical and financial assistance to landowners and resource managers to help sustain the nation’s forests and grasslands, protect communities from wildland fire, and restore forest ecosystems.
Reorganizing our nation’s federal wildland firefighting responsibilities in the middle of a newly arrived fire season in the West is irresponsible and will create confusion and stress around protecting vulnerable communities.
Defunding the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which provides monthly food boxes to 700,000 seniors, including those living in rural areas, with incomes at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty line.
Decimating rural development programs by eliminating funding for rural broadband expansion, community facility grants, rural business programs and rural housing loans.
Closing Agricultural Research Service facilities and reduces National Institute of Food and Agriculture funding, which sets back important research on climate and renewable energy.
Cutting funding for the Economic Research Service and National Agricultural Statistics Service when they are already short-staffed and unable to complete requested data collection and reporting.
Zeroing out Food for Peace, the United States’ flagship food aid program. Eliminating Food for Peace will lead to an increase in global hunger. The program purchases U.S.-grown products, meaning this cut will result in lost income for farmers.
Eliminating funding for the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program. McGovern-Dole is an international assistance program that helps countries establish school meal programs. The program improves literacy and primary education and has been especially helpful for girls. USDA focuses on countries that can take over and administer the program long-term on their own.
