The Heritage Foundation, credited as the source of many of President Trump’s ideas on cutting discretionary spending, would eliminate the two major crop subsidy programs now in operation, end revenue insurance and abolish marketing orders for fresh produce if it had its way. The think tank’s “Blueprint for Balance,” a budget package for fiscal 2018, may answer the question of what the White House will propose in May as the full-bore successor to its “skinny budget” issued March 16.
Besides agricultural programs, Heritage would slash deeply into food stamps and school meals. In food stamps, it would eliminate the current allowance of 90 days of benefits in a three-year period for able-bodied adults without dependents and end “broad-based categorical eligibility” that allows low-income people to receive food stamps regardless of assets. The 90-day limit during periods of high unemployment.
Altogether, Heritage would carve at least $21 billion from a USDA budget of approximately $150 billion. But the conservative think tank did not attach a figure for savings to some of its ideas, such as elimination of crop insurance policies that shield growers from below-average revenue. Those are, by far, the most popular policies in the federally subsidized insurance system.
Nor is there an estimate of savings from elimination of the Community Eligibility Provision, which has expanded participation in school lunch and breakfast programs. The provision was part of the 2014 farm law and allows schools in poor neighborhoods to serve meals for free to all students. House Republicans proposed limitations on the provision last year.
Heritage rolled out similar proposals for sweeping cuts and abolition of USDA programs last summer, including elimination of most farm supports except for disaster relief, elimination of revenue insurance, and moving the food stamp program to the Health and Human Services Department with a work requirement for able-bodied adults.
According to the Washington Post, the White House “skinny budget” listed many of the same programs as Heritage’s 2017 package and presented similar rationales as Heritage for cutting or eliminating programs. “In May, when the administration maps out tax and spending in more detail, the group could again display its influence,” said the Post.
An environmental lobbyist tagged Heritage last week as being in the forefront of lobbying Congress for remodeling the government in a conservative cast.
Lawmakers were coolly dismissive of Trump’s proposal for cuts in discretionary programs for fiscal 2018, beginning on Oct. 1. They included a 21 percent cut in discretionary spending by USDA.
The White House is asking for similar cuts in spending for the current fiscal year, including a $1 billion cut at USDA, said Politico, based on its review of a proposal sent to the House and Senate Appropriations committees. Funding for the government expires on April 28 so a spending package must be written for the final five months of the fiscal year. “And much like Trump’s blueprint for 2018, the plan would eliminate the McGovern-Dole International food program, a bipartisan initiative that feeds millions of vulnerable schoolchildren abroad, and make deep cuts to the Food for Peace program,” said Politico.