TO: Reporters and Editor
FR: Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey
RE: Governor Culver’s Budget Proposal for Iowa Dept. of Ag
DA: Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010
A statement by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey regarding the budget proposal released by Iowa Governor Chet Culver follows here:
“The Governor’s proposal would mean that it is 1994 for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship once again. The Governor’s proposed $16.8 million general fund appropriation is the same level of funding the Department received in 1994. Unfortunately, costs have increased significantly since 1994 and spending for the rest of state government has grown 48 percent in that time.
“Due to built in increases that the Department has no control over, we are actually looking at $3.29 million budget gap that needs to be filled. These built in increases include two previously negotiated salary increases, increased health insurance costs, replacing one-time funding sources that we were directed by the Legislature to use in the current fiscal year, and replacing the savings that resulted from the five furlough days taken by AFSCME covered employees.
“In addition, the Governor’s proposal to reduce the Environmental First funding the Department receives by $1.87 million will not only impact the number of conservation projects we will be able to assist farmers with, but will mean a $187,000 cut to fund the staff that are on the ground helping farmers design those practices.
“The Department has already experienced 5 layoffs and has 44 open positions, which is over 10 percent of our workforce. If the Governor’s proposal is implemented we will need to reduce staffing by approximately another 50 positions.”
Dustin Vande Hoef
Communications Director
515/281-3375 or 515/326-1616 (cell)
or Dustin.VandeHoef@IowaAgriculture.gov
