It’s well known that Vice President Joe Biden is leading a debt ceiling group that plans to cut 200-billion dollars from the federal budget. Rumors indicate almost 25-percent of that – or about 45-billion – will come from cuts in agricultural programs – specifically the Commodity Title and crop insurance. The House budget plan proposed by Representative Paul Ryan would cut 30-billion from farm programs.

National Sorghum Producers points out that while it is vital to cut the deficit and reach an agreement on the debt ceiling – common sense dictates using a program that comprises a mere one-quarter of one-percent of the federal budget to achieve one-fourth of total deficit reduction is far beyond the scope of fairness.

The Vice President wants his group to write policy. But according to National Sorghum Producers – whatever deficit reductions come from agriculture should be turned over to the agriculture committees to ultimately draft the policies and programs that will so deeply affect our farmers, food, fiber and fuel supply – and our rural economy.