The White House and congressional Republicans are pushing Congress to add $20 million in funding for Texas to help farmers who are struggling.
The move comes as Gov.
Greg Abbott (R) seeks to win over a state legislative delegation that was skeptical of his efforts to boost farm subsidies.
A Texas Tribune analysis of public records shows that nearly $6 million in farm subsidies were earmarked for farmers in the last fiscal year.
That’s roughly $2.4 million more than the state’s agricultural subsidies budgeted for the same period, according to a Tribune analysis.
The Texas Farm Bureau has also argued that farmers’ losses in the 2016 crop were more than offset by higher prices for other crops.
Farmers also benefit from tax breaks.
For example, farmers in Texas get a $1,000 exemption on their property taxes.
This is the second-highest exemption in the country, behind Vermont, according a 2017 report by the Urban Institute.
The farm bill also provides a $50 credit for farmers with up to $3 million in assets, the largest in the nation.
It’s not clear how much the $20m would help.
Abbott has touted the farm bill as a win for his state.
“The federal government and Texas have a common goal in the pursuit of a farm-friendly agricultural strategy.
This bipartisan farm bill, signed into law by President Donald Trump, is a significant first step to achieving that goal,” Abbott said in a statement Thursday.