Oppose Farm Bill Extension in Budget Reconciliation

December 14, 2005

Dear Chairmen Gregg and Nussle and Ranking Members Conrad and Spratt:

As you continue conference deliberations on the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, the undersigned
organizations strongly urge you to remove any extension of current farm bill provisions beyond their designated expiration in 2007 from the budget reconciliation.

Costing more than $20 billion in some years, our current web of farm subsidies wastes
taxpayer dollars, invites retaliatory tariffs on American exports, encourages the production of huge crop surpluses that lower world crop prices, and threatens to impede successful global trade negotiations. Reconciliation offers an opportunity to reduce these impacts and reform of our agriculture policies should be the highest priority, not locking taxpayers into tens of billions in future spending.

There can be no question that reducing agriculture subsidies is among taxpayers’ top priorities for spending reduction both in the immediate future and in years to come. Thus, we look forward to working with you on this and other agriculture-related issues and are more than happy to provide ideas for reducing the heavy burden these programs place on taxpayers.

Sincerely,

Jill Lancelot
President/Co-Founder
Taxpayers for Common Sense Action

John Berthoud
President
National Taxpayers Union

David Keating
Executive Director
Club for Growth