President Barack Obama’s proposed 2017 budget provides a mixed bag for agriculture. The proposal includes $24.6 billion for agriculture, down $1.1 billion from the current budget. Included in the budget is an $18 billion cut to federal crop insurance programs over 10 years.
 
RJ Karney, director of congressional relations at AFBF, said in a recent Newsline that proposed crop insurance cuts are a staple of the president’s budget proposals. He also pointed out that this is a repeat of a fight agriculture was involved in two to three months ago when the omnibus package was up for consideration.
 
“AFBF will now be turning its attention towards Congress so we can make sure that American agriculture is represented in the budget discussions and also through the appropriations process,” Karney said.