WASHINGTON, D.C.— House Agriculture Committee Vice Chairman Austin Scott (GA-08) today questioned USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack about the amount of support going to production agriculture during his testimony before the committee.

“Secretary Vilsack, have you talked to any farmers about how much fertilizer costs, how much diesel costs, or about the cost of land rent,” Scott said.

The full exchange can be watched here or read below.

Rep. Austin Scott: “Secretary Vilsack, you were the Secretary in 2010, correct?

Secretary Vilsack: “Yes sir.”

Scott: “In 2010 SNAP was approximately 67% of USDA funding and 33% of USDA funding went to other sources, whether it be farm and commodity production or conservation, is that correct?”

Vilsack: “I don’t have those specific numbers, but I’m sure that you do, Congressman, so I’ll acknowledge you…”

Scott: “Well, thank you. And so as I understand it today, and I expect you will have these numbers, that approximately 80% would go to SNAP and approximately 20% would go to all of the other expenditures of the USDA. Is that correct?”

Vilsack: “I don’t know whether that’s correct or not, Congressman.”

Scott: “You’re kidding me. You’re the Secretary of Agriculture, and you don’t know what the pie chart of your budget looks like?”

Vilsack: “I know there is a significant percentage of our budget is focused on nutrition assistance, of a multitude of different programs. It’s not just SNAP, it’s also WIC, it’s the school lunch program, it’s the assistance to food banks…”

Scott: “I’m talking about food and nutritional programs being 80%.”

Vilsack: “Okay, well, that’s more than SNAP.”

Scott: “And food and nutritional programs were included in the 67% before.”

Vilsack: “Okay.”

Scott: “Okay, but you understand what I’m getting at?”

Vilsack: “Sure, yeah, absolutely.”

Scott: “So, that leaves 20% instead of 30% for conservation, production agriculture, all of the other things that the USDA does. Just simple math. Less than 10% of your total USDA funding now is going to production agriculture? Is that correct?”

Vilsack: “Congressman, I don’t know if that’s correct or not. What’s the point? Just get to your point.”

Scott: “Well my question for you is what percentage of what receive at the USDA should actually go to production agriculture? My point is you talking about the loss of the family farm, well starving farmers don’t get to plant the food to feed hungry people.”

Vilsack: “Well the reality is it’s not about planting food- we are doing a great job at that. American farmers are the best in the world at that. We have seen a remarkable increase in productivity with inputs basically maintaining and actually there is a…”

Scott: “Let me read something to you—well it’s my time, so let me read to you from a good farmer. This isn’t someone that inherited, this is someone who built their own family farm. ‘This year reminds me a lot of the early 1980’s. I had a lot more optimism in my 20’s than in 60’s. Making plans on which piece of land to sell off and get stable for the bumpy ride for agriculture.’”

Vilsack: “We have record income last three years, Congressman. We had record income.”

Scott: “No sir you did not. 2021 and 2022 were good, 2023 was bad. You gloss over the 2023 number.”

Vilsack: “It was not bad, it was actually above the historic average. The three years total...”

Scott: “There was a significant fall off…”

Vilsack: “Best three years in 50 years, for sure. I think the best years for a net cash income ever.”

Scott: “Secretary Vilsack, have you talked to any farmers about how much fertilizer costs, how much diesel costs, about the cost of land rent, because of what you’ve done with solar subsidies and everything else?”

Vilsack: “F-ARM income, highest ever. Highest ever. But the problem it its concentrated in the hands of the large operators. And I’ve got nothing against production agriculture and large operators, we need them. The question is what are we doing about the-“

Scott: “Secretary Vilsack, approximately 90% of the food supply comes from 10% of the farms in this country.”

Vilsack: “I don’t think that’s quite accurate but go ahead.”

Scott: “Well what would you say is accurate with it?”

Vilsack: “Uh I think it’s in the neighborhood of 85% or so.”

Scott: “85% then comes from 10% of the farms. That’s 85% of the food supply for the American citizens. Now, your President and your Vice President don’t seem to mind being dependent on foreign sources of energy, but I assure you the American citizens don’t want to be dependent on foreign sources of food!”

Vilsack: “Congressman-“

Scott: “We are importing more food than we have ever have in this country.”

Vilsack: “We are producing more oil than any other country in the world what are you talking about?”

Scott: “We are importing more food—"

Vilsack: “No, no, no, no-wait a minute. Let’s be clear about this. Let’s be clear about what we are importing. The major driver of the imports, horticulture. Horticulture. Okay.”

Scott: “We are importing more food than we ever have in the history of this country.”

Vilsack: “We are importing more because we like to have choice all year long. It’s not that we are importing it because need to feed ourselves.”

Scott: “Secretary Vilsack, you can justify the actions all you want to-“

Vilsack: “It’s true!”

Scott: “Have you been to the grocery store lately?”

Vilsack: “Absolutely.”

Scott: “What does food cost today versus what it did before the American Rescue Plan and ‘Inflation Reduction Act’ as you call it?”

Vilsack: “Well the good news is, and I alluded to it—"

Scott: “There is no good news there.”

Vilsack: “Food inflation is down. Grocery store price inflation year over year is 1.3%, the lowest it's been since 2021. ERS predicts that it's going to decrease this year-“

Scott: “If it falls another 25% it’ll be where it was before y’all got there.”

###