July 11, 2017

Duckworth Calls for Investments in Rural Development During Meeting with Illinois Farm Bureau President

 

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with the President of the Illinois Farm Bureau Rich Guebert today to discuss the important role Illinois farmers and ranchers play in both the state and national economies, as well the need for greater investments in agriculture and critical infrastructure. Duckworth also highlighted the negative impact of President Trump's proposed budget cuts to rural development and the importance of protecting crop insurance for farmers. A photo of the meeting is available here.

"The work of America's farmers is fundamental to the strength of our state and our nation," Duckworth said. "We should not be turning our backs on Illinois farmers or slashing investments that Americans living in rural communities rely on for public health, good-paying jobs, quality transportation and educational opportunities. I'll keep working to ensure our farmers have access to the resources they need to support our nation's food supply, fuel our cars and grow our economy."

President Trump's budget makes over $231 billion in cuts to critical USDA and Farm Bill programs, which Americans in rural communities rely on to improve access to clean drinking water, promote public safety and support their children. It would also close the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR) that supports more than 200 jobs in Peoria, eliminate the Rural Economic Development Program that helps rural businesses create jobs, reduce SNAP assistance for working families by more than 25 percent and make crop insurance more expensive for Illinois farmers.

Duckworth recently expressed her concerns regarding the President's proposed budget cuts during her visit to NCAUR, where she highlighted the significant harm that its closure would cause the local and state economies. Duckworth's visit to NCAUR came just weeks after she visited the Illinois State University Farm in Lexington to meet with local farmers.