U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack strongly hinted Monday to the nation’s largest farm
lobbying group that large budget deficits will require spending cuts.
However, Vilsack did not explain in detail how cuts might affect the budget of the U.S.
Agriculture Department and its programs. His remarks come as U.S. farmers are searching for
signals about what programs Congress might trim or curtail in the next Farm Bill expected next
year.
That legislation sets the federal government’s financial support for the agriculture sector.
“It’s fairly clear. I’m not going to tell you something that you haven’t already heard from your
leadership,” Vilsack told the annual convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
“When you’re dealing with having to reduce deficits, you’re going to have to make difficult
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