Talent Criticizes Bush On Ag Policy

From the Associated Press Friday afternoon:

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Senator Jim Talent criticizes the Bush administration as unfriendly toward agriculture. Talent took issue today with the president's promised veto of four (b) billion dollars in disaster aid for farmers and ranchers. He also criticized an administration proposal to close Farm Service Agency offices, its agricultural trade policies and its management of the Missouri River.

Talent says the Bush administration has been indifferent to agriculture. He made his remarks during an endorsement pitch to members of the Missouri Farm Bureau. McCaskill turned down an invitation to speak to the group, claiming it rarely backs Democrats.

As Talent distances himself from the Bush administration, McCaskill's campaign accused the Missouri Farm Bureau of trying to make their candidate look bad.

"It is incredibly disappointing that the Missouri Farm Bureau would take advantage of Claire like this," Adrianne Marsh, McCaskill's spokeswoman said. "They haven't endorsed a Democrat for statewide office for as long as most of us can remember. Attending this event would be like Claire meeting with the Missouri Republican Party for their endorsement."

Marsh continued, "Claire has been talking for weeks about her plan to fight on the side of Missouri's family farms in the 2007 Farm Bill. All in all, the only agricultural endorsement Claire is really concerned about earning is the endorsement of our family and independent farmers."