Oklahoma farmers are willing to take some federal cuts

Mike Spradling said in an interview that farmers are willing to do their part as lawmakers work to cut federal spending.

“But we can't afford to do more than our part,'' Spradling said.

Spradling and other members of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau were in Washington as the U.S. House prepared to take up a budget that would slash $30 billion over 10 years from farm-related programs.

Farm-state leaders, including Rep. Frank Lucas, the Oklahoma Republican who is chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, developed a budget plan last year that would cut $23 billion over 10 years, but the House GOP plan would cut well beyond that.

“Compared to an overall economy that is recovering slowly, the American agricultural sector is improving dramatically,” the Republican budget says.

“The record-breaking prosperity of American farmers and farm communities is to be celebrated. But it also calls for a re-examination of federal agricultural programs that spend billions each year. Taxpayers should not finance payments for a business sector that is more than capable of thriving on its own.”