10/19/05 Crapo to fight MILC extension, ag cuts

The Senate Agriculture Committee meets today to mark up legislation that will trim nearly three billion dollars from the federal farm and food spending programs. Senator Mike Crapo says he'll support cuts of two-point-one billion dollars in agriculture entitlement programs but he can't go along with three billion in cuts. CRAPO "And that extra 900 million dollars comes from a continuation of a program that I fought very hard to stop in the first place, the MILC program which frankly just provides federal subsidies primarily for the Northeast part of the country to enable them to undercut other parts of the country in the marketing of milk." Idaho dairy producers are opposed to a two year MILC extension and like Crapo and fellow Senator Larry Craig they see it as a waste of taxpayer money. Crapo knows he's in for a fight but he plans to introduce an amendment today that will permanently kill the MILC program which expired on September 30th. CRAPO "And to reallocate that 900 million dollars back into the commodity, conservation and the research programs of the farm bill." At the same time Congressional leaders are asking all committee chairman to come up with more cuts, 15 billion more on top of the 35 billion already agreed to. That could result in an additional 1.5 billion dollars in cuts to farm programs. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott