Ag Policy Blog

A majority of readers who responded to DTN's latest on-line poll agree in some part that agriculture can shoulder part of the burden to either increase spending in other parts of the federal government, or cut more spending altogether.

Out of 454 total responses, 31% agreed with the need to increase spending on infrastructure, immigration reform and Defense, and agriculture should shoulder part of that spending burden.

Another 29% agreed that "all budget areas, including agriculture, need to be significantly cut."

At 60% combined, those two responses largely mesh with President Donald Trump's budget proposal that would cut spending for agriculture and most domestic programs to increase spending on Defense and Homeland Security.

Infrastructure is somewhat separate in that the president is looking to use tax breaks for companies to shift federal spending to the private sector, as well as state and local governments.

Another 23% of respondents to the on-line poll support President Trump and favor reducing the federal budget, but think that cuts should be made somewhere other than agriculture.

Another 18% of those who responded disagree with proposed cuts to agriculture and generally have not supported President Trump thus far.

The poll is unscientific, though it also is set to generally keep people from responding more than once to any given question.

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