Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Tuesday criticized efforts in Congress to cut USDA’s budget, adding he expects lawmakers will be forced to pass an extension of the current farm bill or face potential “havoc” for farmers.Vilsack and USDA Rural Development staff held an event in the northeastern rural Iowa town of Lime Springs to highlight an $8.8 million grant to help expansion plans for Upper Iowa Beef, a 400-head-a-day packing plant in town.
Along with giving his whiteboard talk about farm income and ways to help small and medium farmers, Vilsack heard from community leaders who rely on USDA Rural Development funding for wastewater treatment, rural electricity, broadband, housing, community buildings, revolving loans to small businesses, and other rural community needs such as child care. Read more