Proposed Budget & Farm Program Details

I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

During a recent phone call with Ag Information Network USDA Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke of how the President's 2015 USDA budget proposal will help fund 40 thousand loans - 85% of which will go to beginning farmers and socially disadvantaged farmers, and how it asks Congress for authority to create three new institutes to deal with livestock production and anti-microbial research, pollinator health, and bio-based products.

VILSACK: This budget accepts the challenges that this department faces. It focuses on creating new additional opportunity in rural areas and to help revitalize that rural economy, and I think it makes significant investments in innovation which is going to be helpful to agriculture and to rural America.

The 2015 budget proposal would also consolidate more Farms Service Agency offices while expanding the roll of those office personnel.

VILSACK: These folks will not only provide information about the traditional programs but they will also be the place of first resort when farmers are looking at new ways or creative ways to increase income opportunities.

The passage of the farm bill has producers asking questions about farm programs. Farm Service Agency offices would like producers to know that program details are currently being worked out at the state and national levels. When this process is complete county offices will be given guidelines on each program and instructions on how they are to implement them. FSA will then hold producer informational meetings pertaining to the applicable FSA programs. The Ag Information network will provide meeting information as it becomes available.

That's Washington Ag Today.

I'm Lacy Gray on the Ag Information Network.