At today's Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) questioned Agriculture Sec. Brooke Rollins.
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00:00Good morning. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and welcome. Thank you. So agricultural research is very important in the state of Oregon. We have such varied types of agricultural activity. Just to give you an example, in Corvallis, the work is done on sudden oak death, which has a huge threat to our nursery stock industry, but also a huge threat potentially to our timber.
00:22In Pendleton, the research being done on drought-resistant dryland wheat varieties is essential. In Burns, the research on how to reseed grasses that are beneficial to cattle after a fire, rather than having cheatgrass takeover, is essential.
00:40Sure.
00:41So we were shocked when all these scientists were fired. We lobbied like hell to get them back. We got them back. Thank you very much. But I'm very concerned about the proposed cut of $160 million to research in the proposed budget.
00:54Can you ensure or can you assure the farmers and all these and ranchers and all these different places in Oregon that the research will go on in a vibrant and significant way, not only for these reasons, that's just a short list.
01:15I mean, we have invasive flies affecting the berries. We have warmer conditions in the ocean affecting our shellfish. Can you assure us that we're not going to end up without this essential research being done?
01:32Yes, sir. And I really appreciate this question, Senator. So the ARS portion of USDA has a $2.1 billion budget.
01:40The president's budget suggests, as you mentioned, the $160 million decrease that takes us down to 1.9. That's about a 7% decrease.
01:48So it's not, you know, as big as maybe it's being made out to be in the press. And that specifically is focused on closing outdated facilities around the country that have nothing to do with the different issues that are being researched that are outlined.
02:01So, yes, we can commit to ensure that the robust body of research that is so important to our agriculture producers continues.
02:09And I look forward to working with you. And if you hear anything differently, please call me directly.
02:13Are there any outdated facilities that you think are outdated in Oregon?
02:16I don't believe so, but we'll follow up on that.
02:18Okay. Thank you.
02:19Thank you, because I don't know. I visited, I think, all of them and they're incredibly important.
02:25We'll follow up on that today, sir.
02:27I want to turn to the question about the funding to decrease, essentially, the challenge of food insecurity.
02:38And we have one in six kids in Oregon who are facing that insecurity, which basically means they're going hungry.
02:45And so the suspension of the Commodity Credit Corporation payments to food assistance programs, including TFAP, have really been shocking.
02:57I don't think President Trump campaigned on I'm going to help increase the number of hungry kids.
03:03So what's going on there with that?
03:05Well, and let me pull up the Oregon numbers just so you are aware.
03:09So again, USDA spends about $400 million, sorry.
03:14Yes, $400 million a day on nutrition programs.
03:18That's a, that's a stunning number.
03:20The specific program you're talking about, sir, to answer your question, was a COVID era program that at the time probably made a tremendous amount of sense, but never was meant to continue indefinitely.
03:32And specifically to Oregon, of the $2 million under the LFS program and the $7 million under the LFPA.
03:40Oregon has $330,000 left in the first and $5 million left in the second.
03:46Almost every state was asking for contract extensions because they couldn't spend the money quickly enough.
03:52So I think it just goes to the balance we have to strike every single day on ensuring that every taxpayer dollar is spent to the best and highest use.
04:00And it was the decision of our president and this administration that perhaps that COVID era program had fulfilled its purpose.
04:06But we can still continue to make sure that we're supporting our farmers and getting nutritious foods into the schools and into the food banks, but through different and other programs.
04:15You know, I guess I'd like to have you look at this from the perspective.
04:21Is there a current need that needs to be addressed whether or not it was originated or COVID or not?
04:26I have visited those, those food banks.
04:29I have seen the, the high increase in demand, which it's kind of scary to see how that need has, has grown.
04:39Uh, I have the estimate from the Oregon food bank that the changes in that are currently happening under credit corporations suspension will reduce their ability to provide about 3 million meals, 2.88.
04:53They said, uh, 3 million meals.
04:55Uh, it seems like a pretty significant impact to an ongoing problem, regardless of whether the program was created, uh, under, under COVID.
05:04So could you just take a look at that more detail?
05:07I'll look at the numbers you provided.
05:09I will.
05:10I didn't catch it.
05:11One of those was a TFAP number.
05:12Yes, sir.
05:13Okay.
05:14Because I know that has been the top priority of the Oregon food bank is being able to move produce around the, around the state, which has been very helpful to our farmers in one place that have a surplus or grocery stores that have a surplus.
05:25They're donating it, but it has to be moved to where it's needed and it has to be moved in a timely fashion so it doesn't rot on the vegetables and so forth.
05:32So I see that five minutes has vanished in my stack of, uh, another 10 questions.
05:39Well, I am always available.
05:41So I welcome a phone call.
05:43Just, you know, call me anytime and we'll be so happy to walk through any of this with you.
05:47Thank you very much.
05:48Yeah.
05:49Thank you, Senator.
05:50Nice to meet you.