President Trump on Thursday released a budget blueprint outlining increased military spending and cuts across other agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency and the State Department. Congress will still have to draft a formal budget; this plan outlines the president’s priorities.
“While we are reviewing the budget and looking forward to the broader blue-print due out in May, we are very pleased to see the commitment to food safety reflected in the budget by fully funding the Food Safety and Inspection Service, which is not is not dependent on user fees,” said NCC President Mike Brown. “This is however, only the first step in a long budget process.”
The budget would cut 21 percent of the Agriculture Department’s discretionary spending budget, though it hasn’t detailed what precisely will be cut. The USDA will also reduce staff by an unspecified amount at various service center agencies around the country. In addition, the budget:
- Eliminates the $200 million McGovern-Dole International Food for Education program
- Eliminates the $500 million Water and Wastewater loan and grant program
- Cuts Women, Infants and Children nutrition assistance from $6.4 billion to $6.2 billion
- Unspecified staff reductions at USDA service center agencies around the country
- Cuts $95 million from the Rural Business and Cooperative Service
The full text of the president’s budget blueprint is available on the White House website.
Photo credit: Washington Post
