House Budget - NCDA

On May 22, Commissioner of Agriculture, Steve Troxler, sent a letter to those involved in agriculture and referenced the House Budget being worked out in Subcommittees at the NC legislature. The House Natural and Economic Resources Appropriations Subcommittee released a document [e-mail me at aefowler@ncgrange.com for a copy] which outlines proposed cuts to the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services' budget for the upcoming biennium.

The document that was presented contains $5.7 million in options for member consideration - of which members will be considering approximately $4 million (6%) for inclusion in their budget. Reductions to the Department and other agencies must total $43.5 million from the Natural and Economic Resources Continuation Budget (spending $34.3 million less than the Senate budget).

WHAT ARE WE CONCERNED ABOUT??
The Subcommittee has proposed eliminating the Agricultural Review which is the Department's newsletter that first began in 1914. The Ag Review has informed the public about North Carolina agriculture and the work of the Department of Agriculture. The paper also provides a forum for commerce through the free classified advertisements for farm-related items (equipment, supplies, farmland, farm animals and other agricultural items). An issue usually contains 1,000-1,200 classified ads which provides farmers a no-cost forum to sell these items. The total value of items, land and animals advertise for sale in the October 2008 issue was more than $17 million. Farms gain extra income through services and products sold through the Ag Review. Cooperative Extension agents and farm organizations use the publication as an outlet for publicizing their events such as field days, seminars, workshops, and horse and livestock events. Many subscribers do not have Internet access and the hard-copy publication serves them well. The cost of publishing the Ag Review (labor, printing, postage) is 32 cents per copy.

"The Ag Review's classifieds have one superb, although quite intangible value, and that is that they make the peanut farmer in Murfeesboro and the apple grower in Brevard feel like next-door neighbors. ... No other publication in the state can achieve that." (J.A.C. Dunn, Winston-Salem Journal, April 15, 1982)

The House Subcommittees are to finish their work by June 4th and the House are to vote on the full budget by June 18th.

Comments to the Subcommittee are encouraged!!!
Chairman: Pricey Harrison - Guilford
Chairman: Garland E. Pierce - Hoke, Robeson, Scotland
Chairman: Edith D. Warren - Martin, Pitt
Vice Chairman: Carolyn H. Justice - New Hanover, Pender
Vice Chairman: W.A. "Winkie" Wilkins - Durham, Person
Vice Chairman: Michael H. Wray - Northampton, Vance, Warren
Member: Angela Bryant - Halifax, Nash
Member: James H. Langdon - Johnston, Sampson
Member: Efton Sager - Wayne
Member: Ruth Samuelson - Mecklenburg
Member: Roger West - Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Macon