Protecting our nation’s food supply, providing support to our farmers and rural communities, conserving our natural resources, developing new markets, and investing in the future through agriculture research, biotechnology and innovation are just a few of the ways USDA impacts the lives of all Americans.

Everything must be on the table if we are going to have a serious conversation about getting our budget under control. Refusing to consider large budget items like defense and choosing instead to slash nutrition programs that feed millions of hard-working families is not the way to balance our budget.

“This brings us one step closer to having a farm bill in place before the current bill expires in September. Chairwoman Stabenow and Ranking Member Roberts have found a bipartisan way to move forward and the full Senate should now take action

“The proposal before us is not serious. You can’t have a serious conversation about getting our budget under control when you take large items like defense off the table, which is really why we’re here. Taking a meat ax to nutrition programs that feed millions of hard-working families, in an effort to avoid defense cuts, is not a serious way to achieve deficit reduction.

“Passing a farm bill this year was already going to be difficult but the Republican Budget approved by the House today lowers the odds significantly. Going through the reconciliation process, before we can actually get to writing a farm bill, will only muddy the waters and is a waste of time.