Warner Robins Today

Rep. Austin Scott, Vice Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, challenged USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack during a committee hearing about the level of support provided to production agriculture. Scott specifically questioned Vilsack about his knowledge of the costs faced by farmers, such as fertilizer, diesel, and land rent.

During the exchange, Scott highlighted the proportion of USDA funding allocated to various programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other sources such as farm and commodity production and conservation. Scott pointed out that in 2010, SNAP accounted for approximately 67% of USDA funding, while other expenditures received 33%. He then questioned whether the current breakdown of funding is approximately 80% for SNAP and 20% for other USDA programs.

Vilsack admitted that he did not have the specific numbers at hand but acknowledged Scott's understanding of the funding distribution. Scott expressed his surprise that the Secretary of Agriculture was not aware of the budget breakdown and accused Vilsack of not knowing the "pie chart" of the USDA's budget.

The conversation then shifted to the percentage of funding allocated to production agriculture. Scott raised concerns about the limited funding going toward production agriculture and the potential impact on family farms. He argued that without adequate support for farmers, they would not be able to plant the food necessary to feed the population.

Vilsack countered Scott's concerns by highlighting the productivity of American farmers and the record income they had achieved in recent years. However, Scott disputed Vilsack's claims, pointing out that 2023 had seen a significant fall in income. He also questioned whether Vilsack had consulted with farmers regarding the rising costs of inputs such as fertilizer, diesel, and land rent.

The discussion then turned to the concentration of food supply in a small number of farms. Scott stated that approximately 90% of the food supply comes from 10% of the farms, while Vilsack suggested the figure was closer to 85%. Scott emphasized the importance of food independence and criticized the reliance on foreign sources of food, comparing it to the country's dependence on foreign sources of energy.

Vilsack disputed Scott's claim that the United States was importing more food than ever before, attributing the increase to consumer demand for a wider variety of food options throughout the year. Scott challenged Vilsack's assertion by asking if he had visited a grocery store recently and inquired about the rising food costs since the implementation of the American Rescue Plan and the "Inflation Reduction Act."

Vilsack responded by stating that food inflation was down and that grocery store price inflation was at its lowest since 2021. He cited predictions of further decreases in the inflation rate for the current year. Scott expressed skepticism and stated that even with a decrease, food prices would still be higher than before the implementation of the mentioned policies.

The exchange between Scott and Vilsack highlighted the concerns surrounding the allocation of USDA funding and the impact on production agriculture. Scott emphasized the importance of supporting farmers to ensure a stable food supply for the nation, while Vilsack defended the USDA's focus on nutrition assistance programs. The discussion underscored the ongoing debate over the balance between food production and other priorities within agricultural policy.