In late December, just prior to adjourning the first session of the 109th Congress, the Senate approved a 39.7 billion dollar deficit-reduction package that would cut more than 1 billion dollar from the Conservation Security Program (CSP) plus another760 million dollar by entirely eliminating the Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems (IFAFS) for three years. These two programs, combined, make up a majority of the agriculture funding cuts—despite the fact that they represent only 1% oftotal agriculture spending. Previously passed by the House, the budget-cutting bill also makes significant cuts to the student loan program and a variety of programs that aid farmers, low-income children, families, and the elderly. It also extends an expired subsidy program for small dairy programs. While the bill does contribute approximately 42 billion dollar to deficit reduction, all that gain will be more than wiped out by a pending 60 billion dollar tax cut bill that primarily benefits wealthier citizens.
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