Scott Tipton proudly touts his support of the 2018 Agriculture Appropriations Bill, which is folded into the so-called “Make America Secure Appropriations Act.”
What Rep. Tipton doesn’t mention, however, is that this bill really hurts rural families. Total funding for agriculture will be cut by $8.5 billion. Yup. $8.5 billion.
Some of the programs on the chopping block are Agriculture and Rural Development, which prioritizes funding in rural communities. For farmers and ranchers, another $40 million will be cut out of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which helps control or eradicate plant and animal pests and diseases that can be crippling to your livestock.
Hungry families will be affected by cuts in this bill, too. The Women, Infants, and Children program is being cut by $200 million. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is being cut by a whopping $4.87 billion over 2017 levels. Wow.
If you think a healthy agricultural industry is important to America’s security and economy, and you think hungry families should be able to buy food, remember Tipton’s vote on this bill come election time in November 2018.
Sarah Musil Burris
Durango