FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — February 2, 2010

CONTACT:  Reece Langley, (703) 236-1471, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

WASHINGTON — The USA Rice Federation today issued the following statement in response to the president’s proposed agriculture budget, which was formally submitted to Congress on Monday:

We regret that the president’s budget takes aim at the one component of current U.S. farm policy that is effectively serving rice farmers. 

Just as troubling, the budget proposes new adjusted-gross income requirements and cuts to the Market Access Program that suggest a dangerous unawareness of the economic circumstances of U.S. farm families and the increased competition American agriculture faces in the world today. 

Even while cuts to U.S. farm policy under the proposed budget would exceed $10 billion, the overall budget of the U.S. Department of Agriculture actually would expand as government spending increases at the expense of American farm families.

We are deeply concerned that the budget proposal would result in job losses and worsen economic conditions in rural America.

We applaud U.S. Sen. Blanche L. Lincoln (D-AR) for once again standing up for economic growth and jobs in Arkansas and throughout rice country and rural America by strongly opposing the president’s agriculture budget.  We also greatly appreciate the concerns and opposition to the budget proposal expressed by Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN).