American farmers are decrying President Donald Trump's proposed cuts to crop insurance and other safety net programs for farmers. Trump's proposed cuts come as farmers in Iowa, Kansas & Nebraska are facing their fourth straight year of falling income. All three states made up a combined 17 Electoral Votes that helped Trump get into the White House during the most recent election. The budget calls for caps on the amount of money the US Government provides to help farmers pay insurance premiums, and eliminate coverage for lost revenue when crop prices and per-acre yields fall. This would reduce the American budget by $28-billion over the next ten years. Trump has also proposed reducing subsidies to farmers, cutting those programs by $9-billion and cutting just over 5,000 jobs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which would be a 5.5% reduction in staff. The Trump administration says the proposed cuts help fulfill a campaign promise to balance the federal budget.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets face-to-face with U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time on Monday February 13, 2017. (Photo courtesy of Justin Trudeau's official Twitter account.)
