By LIBBY QUAID
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Under orders to cut agriculture spending by $3 billion,
Republicans in Congress have proposed reducing food programs for the poor by
$574 million and conservation programs by $1 billion, The Associated Press has
learned.
The proposal by the chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
Committee, Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., also would cut payments to farmers by
2.5 percent across the board.
The plan faces hostility from congressional Democrats and other critics who say
the cuts would hurt food stamps and conservation programs.
Payments to farmers would fall by $1.145 billion over five years. But that is
considerably less severe than what President Bush had proposed. Bush had sought
a 5 percent reduction in payments, plus a far-reaching plan for capping
payments that would cut billions more dollars from subsidies collected by large
farm operations.
[more]
<http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FOOD_FARM_PROGRAMS?SITE=TXCN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT>
.
|
