Agriculture leaders in both the House and Senate have announced an agreement to fix crop insurance cuts in the Bipartisan Budget Act later this year as part of the 2016 Spending Bill.
Senator Ag Committee Chair Pat Roberts spoke of the agreement on the Senate floor Thursday, saying farmer’s number one concern during the 2014 Farm Bill process was crop insurance.
The Ag leaders vowed support to the budget agreement with a plan in place for crop insurance, however, Senator Roberts told Roll Call off the Senate floor that he doesn’t know if he is ready to support the bill or not.
The budget agreement includes $3 billion in cuts over 10 years to crop insurance.
Committee Ranking Democrat Debbie Stabenow said in a statement she would support the Bipartisan Budget Act while noting she opposes any efforts to cut or reopen farm bill programs.
An agreement on crop insurance was announced by House Ag leadership Wednesday.
However, new House Speaker Paul Ryan in the past has criticized farm subsidies.
Ryan was elected speaker Thursday morning.
In 2012, he called for savings of $30 billion in farm programs.
