Congressman Frank Lucas says farmers are treated unfairly in President Bush's budget

Sunday, March 6th 2005, 11:40 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Representative Frank Lucas says farmers are treated unfairly in President Bush's budget and he will fight cuts in agriculture programs that are twice as deep as reductions in other areas.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Lucas says farmers shouldn't have to give up twice as much as other areas in the budget.

He says he has been getting an earful at recent town hall meetings from farmers upset about cuts Bush proposed in crop subsidies and other agriculture programs.

Lucas says the Bush budget proposes cuts in most mandatory federal programs by 4 percent, but would slash agriculture programs by 8 percent.

The cuts also threaten Lucas' efforts to get funding to rehabilitate 2,000 low water dams which were built to control flooding in his district, which includes many wheat farms.