Home News and Events Menu Cuts Threaten Rural Program Sustainable Farming Connection Where farmers find and share information. Cuts Threaten Rural Program 'Misplaced priorities' undermine the popular Fund For Rural America. 5/20/97: The National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture today called on the U.S. House of Representatives to halt a plan that would immediately institute drastic cuts that undermine the newly established Fund for Rural America (FRA). Established by Congress only last year, the Fund for Rural America provides $100 million each year for three years for rural development, and agricultural research and extension to improve farm profitability, strengthen rural communities and enhance environmental stewardship. The program has generated so much interest that some 3,000 research proposals have already been submitted for grant approval. Yet, with the program barely out of the box, it is already targeted for cuts by the House Supplemental Appropriations bill (HR-1469) which calls for a $20 million cut to be implemented immediately in FY 1997. Should this cut be approved , the amount dedicated to research would be reduced from $46 million to $26 million. "Clearly this is a case of misplaced priorities," said Margaret Krome, Appropriations Coordinator for the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture. "Thousands of communities foresee on-going losses from the 1996 Farm Bill's farm payment cuts. They are looking to the Fund for help in creating new, real, environmentally responsible economic growth. Yet the program is being starved before it even has a chance to show what it can do." Noting that the Senate Supplemental Appropriations bill (S-672) does not call for a cut to the Fund for Rural America, Krome urged members of the House to "follow the lead of the Senate and preserve the intent of the FRA, which is to fund research in order to provide family farmers and rural communities with the new production techniques and new markets they will need to compete." "Banks and lending institutions have no problems getting federal bailouts, but the House wants to dramatically cut the funds that rural America needs to stay afloat," added Therese Tuttle, co-chair of the Campaign's Research Committee, and Director of Cooperative and Economic Development at National Farmers' Union. The National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture is a network of more than 500 organizations working to support family farms, protect the environment, strengthen rural communities and create a better food system. Source: From a news release by the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture, P.O. Box 396, Pine Bush, NY 12566. Phone: (914) 744-8448. Fax: (914) 744-8477. email: Campaign@magiccarpet.com For more information: Rob Horowitz: (908) 940-6417 Margaret Krome: (608) 238-1440 mkrome@aol.com Interact: Post reactions to news stories on our Comments Discussion Group. Read reactions to news stories on our Comments Discussion Group. Top of Page Home News and Events Menu Cuts Threaten Rural Program ©1997 Committee for Sustainable Farm Publishing Please read about our usage permission policy and disclaimer. Send comments, suggestions and questions to the site author: Craig Cramer cdcramer@clarityconnect.com Coded using HoTMetaL Pro 3.0. Best viewed in Netscape 3.0 or later. Please see our credits page for more information. http://sunsite.unc.edu/farming-connection/news/stories/970520.htm