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FY2017 Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations: In Brief

Changes from June 17, 2016 to August 8, 2016

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FY2017 Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations: In Brief

June 17August 8, 2016 (R44441)
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Summary

The Agriculture appropriations bill funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), except for the Forest Service. It also funds the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and—in even-numbered fiscal years—the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

Agriculture appropriations include both mandatory and discretionary spending. Discretionary amounts, though, are the primary focus during the bill's development, since mandatory amounts are generally set by authorizing laws such as the farm bill.

The largest discretionary spending items are the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); agricultural research; FDA; rural development; foreign food aid and trade; farm assistance programs; food safety inspection; conservation; and animal and plant health programs. The main mandatory spending items are the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), child nutrition, crop insurance, and the farm commodity and conservation programs paid by the Commodity Credit Corporation.

Both the House and the Senate Appropriations Committees have reported their FY2017 Agriculture appropriations bills (H.R. 5054, S. 2956). The discretionary total of the House-reported bill is $21.299 billion, which would be $451 million less than enacted in FY2016. The discretionary total of the Senate-reported bill is $21.250 billion, which is actually comparatively. On a comparable basis, the Senate bill is $201 million more than the House bill because the Senate bill does not have jurisdiction for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The bill also carriesif the CFTC appropriation is subtracted from the House bill to adjust for CFTC jurisdiction. Both bills also carry mandatory spending totaling $126.4 billion, bringing the overall total in excess of $147 billion.

In addition to setting budgetary amounts, the Agriculture appropriations bill also is a vehicle for policy-related provisions that direct how the executive branch should carry out the appropriation. Notable policy provisions include prohibitions on USDA finalizing livestock and poultry marketing regulations in the House bill, prohibitions on horse slaughter inspections in the House and Senate bills, protections against Freedom of Information Act requests for checkoff programs in the House bill, limits on the regulatory burden for e-cigarettes in the House bill, limits on regulations that would affect retailers accepting SNAP benefits in the House and Senate bills, reporting requirements on SNAP households moving out of state in the House and Senate bills, waivers offering flexibility for implementing school nutrition standards in the House bill, and allowing a USDA-requested export promotion office in Cuba in the Senate bill.


in the FY2017 bills include:
  • GIPSA rule. The House-reported bill would prohibit the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) from finalizing and implementing a livestock and poultry marketing rule—the "GIPSA rule."
  • Horse slaughter. Both bills would prohibit the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) from inspecting horse slaughter facilities.
  • Checkoff programs. The House report calls for USDA to recognize that checkoff boards are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
  • Tobacco products. The House-reported bill would grandfather all e-cigarettes and other newly deemed tobacco products so that manufacturers would not have to file a premarket application.
  • SNAP-authorized retailers. Both bills would limit the scope of rules about inventory requirements for SNAP-authorized retailers.
  • SNAP households reporting requirements. Both bills would require SNAP households to report to the state agency a move out of the state beginning in FY2017 and each year thereafter.
  • School meals nutrition standards. The House-reported bill would again require exemptions from a 100% whole grain requirement and prevent USDA from implementing a sodium requirement without scientific evidence.
  • Export promotion office in Cuba. The Senate committee report recommends fully funding an administration request to open a Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) office in Cuba.
FY2017 Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations: In Brief

Action on FY2017 Agriculture Appropriations

The House and the Senate Appropriations Committees have reported their FY2017 Agriculture appropriations bills (H.R. 5054, S. 2956) with some of the earliest action on Agriculture appropriations in two decades (Figure 1; Appendix).

The discretionary total of the House-reported bill and its "302(b)" allocation1 is $21.299 billion, which would be $451 million less than enacted in FY2016 (-2.1%). The discretionary total of the Senate-reported bill and its "302(b)" allocation is $21.250 billion, which appears to be less than the House bill but is comparatively more because the Senate bill does not have jurisdiction for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).2 On a comparable basis, the Senate bill is $201 million more than the House bill (+1.0%) if the CFTC appropriation is subtracted from the House bill (or if the CFTC amount is added to the Senate bill). The bill also carriesbills also carry mandatory spending totaling about $126.4 billion, bringingmaking the overall total in excess ofexceed $147 billion (Table 1).

The Senate's discretionary caps are set so as not to trigger sequestration under limits established by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-74). The House has not yet passed a budget and the Appropriations Committee has not made allocations for all of its subcommittees.3

The White House released its FY2017 budget request on February 9, 2016.4 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) concurrently released its detailed budget justification.5 The Administration's request is for $21.226 billion of discretionary budget authority for agencies in the Senate Agriculture appropriations jurisdiction, $177 million more than House-reported bill without CFTC, and $24 million less than the Senate-reported bill.

Scope of Agriculture Appropriations

The Agriculture appropriations act funds all of USDA, except for the U.S. Forest Service. It also funds the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the Department of Health and Human Services. In even-numbered fiscal years, the enacted Agriculture bill carries CFTC funding under the compromise for jurisdictional differences between the House and Senate (see footnote 2).

Agriculture appropriations include both mandatory and discretionary spending, but discretionary amounts are the primary focus during the bill's development, since mandatory amounts are generally set by authorizing laws such as the farm bill. The scope of the appropriation can be shown by the major allocations in the FY2016 appropriation (Figure 2). The largest discretionary spending items are domestic nutrition, agricultural research, rural development, FDA, foreign food aid, farm assistance programs, food safety inspection, conservation, and animal and plant health. The main mandatory spending items are the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, child nutrition, crop insurance, and the Commodity Credit Corporation (which pays for the farm commodity, conservation, and other mandatory USDA programs).

Figure 1. Timeline of Action on Agriculture Appropriations, FY1997-F2017

Source: CRS.

Figure 2. Scope of Agriculture Appropriations

(FY2016 budget authority in billions of dollars)

Source: CRS. Does not show some agencies under $0.5 billion that, together, are offset by reductions.

Notes: SNAP = Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Prog.Program; CCC = Commodity Credit Corp.Corporation; FCIC = Federal Crop Insurance Corp.Corporation; Section 32 = Funds for Strengthening Markets, Income and Supply; WIC = Special Supplemental Nutrition Prog.Program for Women, Infants, and Children; CSFP = Commodity Supplemental Food Prog.Program; FDA = Food and Drug Admin.Administration; FSA = Farm Service Agency; RMA = Risk Mgt.Management Agency; FSIS = Food Safety and Inspection Service; APHIS = Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Differences in the FY2017 Bill

The House-reported bill is officially $451 million smaller, and the Senate-reported bill $250 million smaller, than the enacted FY2016 discretionary appropriation (in terms of the "302(b)" allocation). Both bills achieve this primarily by increasing offsets over the FY2016 level through greater rescissions of prior appropriations, changes in mandatory program spending (CHIMPS), and scorekeeping adjustments. However, the budget authority provided for agencies in the major titles of the bill actually increases by $165 million in the House bill and $235 million in the Senate bill over FY2016 (the top of the shaded bars in Figure 3).

Discretionary budget changes for agencies that are over $10 million within agencies include the following, relative to FY2016 (Table 2):

  • Food for Peace grants. House: -$2.4 million. Senate: +$132 million, which would maintain some of the supplemental increase in the FY2016 appropriation.
  • Conservation programs. House: +4.4 million, for technical assistance. Senate: +$147 million, mostly for watershed and flood prevention programs that have not been funded since FY2010, and additional technical assistance.
  • Rural development. House: +$85 million, mostly for rural broadband grants, rural water and waste disposal programs, rural housing and rental assistance, rural business enterprise grants, and community facilities grants. Senate: +$52 million, mostly for rural water and waste disposal programs, and rural housing and rental assistance.
  • Food and Nutrition Service. House: +$42 million, Senate: +$51 million, both mostly for commodity assistance and nutrition programs administration.
  • Food and Drug Administration. House: +$36 million, Senate: +$42 million, both largely for food safety activities.
  • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. House: +$36 million, primarily for increases in emergency preparedness, specialty crop pests, and the National Veterinary Stockpile, while maintaining recent avian health increases. Senate: +$45 million, mostly for emergency preparedness.
  • USDA administration. House: +$20 million to modernize headquarters facilities. Senate: +$30 million, mostly for a more modest increase for facilities, and for additional outreach to minority and veteran farmers, cybersecurity, and financial system upgrades.
  • Food Safety Inspection Service. House: +$16 million, Senate: +$19 million, both for inspection improvements.
  • Farm Service Agency. House: +$12 million for greater farm loan program authority. Senate: +$26 million, including farm loan program increases, personnel and security expenses, and beginning and veteran farmers and ranchers.
  • Agricultural research agencies. House: -$89 million, comprised primarily of $25 million more for Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) grants, offset by $112 million less for Agricultural Research Service (ARS) buildings and facilities. Senate: -$74 million, comprised of $25 million more for AFRI, $34 million more for ARS research, and $7 more million for other grants; offset by $148 million less for ARS buildings and facilities.
  • Commodity Futures Trading Commission. House: +0, Senate: +0 (the latter in Financial Services subcommittee markup).

Policy Issues

In addition to setting budgetary amounts, the Agriculture appropriations bill also is a vehicle for policy-related provisions that direct how the executive branch should carry out the appropriation.

GIPSA Rule. USDA said in March 2016 that it would finalize a livestock and poultry marketing rule that originally had been proposed by its Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) in June 2010 (75 Federal Register 35338) and is commonly referred to as the "GIPSA rule."6 The proposed rule was contentious, with proponents arguing that it would bring fairness to marketing transactions, while opponents argued it would disrupt markets and lead to increased litigation. From FY2012-FY2015, appropriations riders prohibited USDA from finalizing most parts of the GIPSA rule. The FY2016 appropriations act did not include such a provision. In response to USDA's renewed efforts on a GIPSA rule, Section 767 of the House-reported FY2017 Agriculture appropriations bill would again prohibit USDA activities (adopted as a committee amendment by a vote of 26-24). The Senate-reported bill does not contain this GIPSA provision.

Horse Slaughter. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is responsible for ensuring that the U.S. meat supply is unadulterated, wholesome, and properly labeled. Horses are an amenable species under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. §601 et seq.) and FSIS is responsible for horse slaughter inspection if the horsemeat is for human consumption. However, the FY2006 and FY2007 appropriations acts prohibited FSIS from funding horse slaughter inspections. In subsequent appropriations (FY2008-FY2011 and FY2014-FY2016) appropriations, the inspection bans were expanded to include a prohibition on voluntary, fee-based horse slaughter inspections. Inspection bans were not in force during FY2012 and FY2013, but no horse slaughter facilities opened before the ban was reinstated. For FY2017, both the House-reported and Senate-reported bills (Section 762 and Section 755, respectively) prohibit FSIS from using funds to inspect horse slaughter facilities, as well as the use of voluntary inspection fees.

This effectively bans horse slaughter.

Checkoff Programs. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) oversees 22 commodity Research and Promotion Programs that are authorized by Congress, but are requested and funded by industry to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct research and promotion activities. These programs, commonly referred to as checkoffs, are run by boards consisting of industry representatives that plan and manage the commodity programs. The House report calls for USDA to recognize that checkoff boards are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) because they are funded by producers and industry and board members are not government employees. The Senate bill and report do not contain a similar provision. USDA considers the checkoff boards to be subject to FOIA, excluding exempt information under FOIA, such as proprietary data. Checkoff groups that support the provision believe that FOIA requests divert checkoff time and funds away from research and promotion. Opponents believe that commodity groups are attempting to limit transparency of checkoff activities.

Tobacco Products:. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act, P.L. 111-31) amended the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to provide FDA with the authority to regulate cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco, smokeless tobacco, and any other any other tobacco products deemed by the agency. FDA published a proposed rule in 2014,7 and a final rule in May 2016 ("deeming rule") that extends the agency's tobacco product authorities to "all other categories of products that meet the statutory definition of 'tobacco product' in the [FFDCA] except accessories of such newly deemed tobacco products."8 The final rule deems electronic cigarettes ("e-cigarettes"), cigars, pipe tobacco, and hookah tobacco, among other products, to meet this statutory definition, and, therefore, to be within FDA's regulatory authority.9 Manufacturers of newly deemed tobacco products that are currently being marketed in the United States will have to file an application for premarket review with FDA. The deeming rule establishes a timeline for manufacturers to submit their applications. A manufacturer who submits an application during this period may continue to market the product until FDA acts on the application. In the House-reported bill, Section 761 would grandfather all e-cigarettes and other newly deemed tobacco products currently on the market. Manufacturers would not have to file a premarket application. Section 749 would prohibit the use of appropriated funds for the finalization, implementation, administration, or enforcement of FDA's proposed deeming rule "if such rule would apply to traditional large and premium cigars." The Senate bill does not contain any tobacco-related provisions.

SNAP-Authorized Retailers. Only SNAP-authorized retailers may accept SNAP benefits.10 On February 17, 2016, USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) published a proposed rule that would change retailer requirements for authorization.11 The proposed rule would implement the 2014 farm bill's changes to inventory requirements for SNAP-authorized retailers (Section 4002, P.L. 113-79); namely, the farm bill increased the varieties of "staple foods" and perishable varieties that SNAP retailers must stock. In addition to codifying the farm bill's changes, the proposed rule would change how staple foods are defined, create limitations on retailers' sale of hot foods, and add a minimum number of stocking units.12 The House-reported bill (Section 763) and the Senate-reported bill (Section 752) would limit the scope of an interim final or final rule to the 2014 farm bill's specific changes, though each bill's exact language varies.

SNAP Households Reporting Requirements. Under current household reporting requirements for the commonly selected state option of "simplified reporting," participants do not have to report to the SNAP state agency when they move out of the state.13 USDA's FY2017 budget justification proposed to amend SNAP's authorizing law to allow state agencies to require this household reporting.14 In both the House- and Senate-reported bills (both Sec. 744), beginning in FY2017 and each year thereafter, SNAP households would be required to report to the state agency a move out of the state.

School Meals Nutrition Standards. Implementing the Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act of 2010, USDA-FNS updated the nutrition standards for the school meals programs (National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program).15 FY2015 and FY2016 appropriations laws (1) required USDA to allow states to exempt from the 100% whole grain requirements school food authorities that meet hardship requirements,16 and (2) prevented USDA from implementing a reduction in sodium that is to take effect school year 2017-2018 until "the latest scientific research establishes the reduction is beneficial for children." The House-reported bill (Section 731) would include these provisions again in FY2017 appropriations (making whole grain waivers available in school year 2017-2018). The Senate-reported bill does not include these provisions. The 114th Congress is in the process of reauthorizing the school meals programs.17

Export Promotion Office in Cuba. The Administration is proposing to use $1.5 million of its requested $5 million increase for the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) to open an FAS office in Cuba to promote U.S. agricultural exports. The Senate Appropriations Committee report recommends fully funding the increase and supports the establishment of an office in Cuba. The House-reported bill would provide FAS a $3 million increase, $2 million less than requested, with no reference to the proposal to open an office in Cuba.

Recent Trends in Agriculture Appropriations

Over time, changes by title of the Agriculture appropriations bill have generally been proportionate to changes in the bill's total discretionary limit, though some activities have sustained relative increases and decreases. Nominal Agriculture appropriations peaked in FY2010 and declined through FY2013. Since then, total Agriculture appropriations have increased since FY2014 (Figure 3). However, whether that increase returns the appropriation to various historical benchmarks depends upon inflation adjustments and other factors.

The stacked bars in Figure 3 represent the discretionary spending authorized for each title in the 10 years since FY2008. The total of the positive stacked bars is the budget authority contained in Titles I-VI. It is higher than the official "302(b)" discretionary spending limit (the line) because of the budgetary offset from negative amounts in Title VII General Provisions and other scorekeeping adjustments. General Provisions are negative mostly because of limits placed on mandatory programs, which are scored as savings and referred to as "Changes in Mandatory Program Spending (CHIMPS)." See Title VII, General Provisions, in (Table 2 for examples).

For example, in the FY2017 House-reported bill, budget authority for the primary agencies in the bill (Titles I-VI) increases $166 million (the top of the stacked bars in Figure 3) even though the official discretionary spending allocation decreases $451 million (the line and dots in Figure 3).

Increases in the use of CHIMPS and other tools to offset discretionary appropriations ameliorated reductions in discretionary budget authority in FY2011 and succeeding years. For example, the official "302(b)" discretionary total for the bill was given credit for declining 13.6% in FY2011, while the total of Titles I-VI declined only 6.4% that year (Figure 3). The effect is less pronounced in FY2016, since the offset was smaller, in part because of additional spending in General Provisions for foreign food aid and emergency programs.

Some areas have sustained real increases, while others have declined (apart from the peak in 2010). Agencies with sustained real increases (that is, inflation-adjusted; Figure 4) since FY2008 include FDA and CFTC (Related Agencies) and, to a lesser extent, foreign food assistance. Areas with real decreases in discretionary spending since 2008 include conservation, general agricultural programs, and domestic nutrition programs. Rural development also had a real decrease over the same period, though FY2016 may have reversed that trend.

Figure 3. Discretionary Agriculture Appropriations, by Title, Since FY2008

Source: CRS. Includes CFTC in Related Agencies regardless of jurisdiction, except as noted in Totals linefor FY2017.

Figure 4. Inflation-Adjusted Discretionary Agriculture Appropriations Since FY2008

Source: CRS. Includes CFTC in Related Agencies regardless of jurisdiction, except as noted in Totals linefor FY2017.

Notes: Budget authority adjusted for inflation by CRS using the gross domestic product price deflator.

Table 1. Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations, by Title, FY2016-FY2017

(budget authority in millions of dollars)

 

FY2016

FY2017

Change: FY2016 to…

Title of Agriculture Appropriations Act

P.L. 114-113

Admin. Request

HouseH. Cmte. H.R. 5054

SenateS. Cmte.
S. 2956

House

Senate

I. Agricultural Programs: Discretionary

7,020.3

7,091.1

7,015.7

7,069.7

-4.6

+49.5

Mandatory (M)a

16,032.6

23,638.4

23,638.4

23,648.4

+7,605.8

+7,615.8

Subtotal

23,052.9

30,729.5

30,654.1

30,718.2

+7,601.2

+7,665.3

II. Conservation Programs

863.8

861.3

868.2

1,015.4

+4.4

+151.6

III. Rural Development

2,950.0

3,015.9

3,036.4

3,001.7

+85.4

+51.7

IV. Domestic Food Programs: Discretionary

6,838.9

6,932.4

6,880.5

6,890.3

+41.6

+51.4

Mandatory (M)

102,958.1

104,830.9

102,803.0

102,830.9

-155.2

-127.3

Subtotal

109,797.0

111,763.3

109,683.4

109,721.1

-113.6

-75.9

V. Foreign Assistance

1,868.5b

1,752.3

1,870.9

2,006.9

+2.4

+138.4

VI. Food and Drug Administration

2,729.6

2,742.7

2,765.6

2,771.8

+36.0

+42.2

Commodity Futures Trading Commission

250.0

330.0

250.0

[250.0]

c

+0.0

+0.0

VII. General Provisions: CHIMPScd & rescissions

-865.0

-645.7

-914.7

-998.2

-49.7

-133.2

Disaster/Emergencyemergency programs

273.0

0.0

5.0

0.0

-268.0

-273.0

Other appropriations

283.1b

0.0

45.5

16.6

-236.6

-266.5

Scorekeeping adjustmentsd

e

-332.0

-524.0

-524.0

-524.0

-192.0

-192.0

Subtract disaster declaration in this bill

-130.0

+130.0

+130.0

Totals

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discretionary: Senate basis w/o CFTC

[21,500.0]

21,225.9

[21,049.0]

21,250.0

-451.0

-250.0

Discretionary: House basis w/ CFTC

21,750.0

21,555.9

21,299.0

[21,500.0]

-451.0

-250.0

Mandatory (M)

118,990.7

128,469.3

126,441.4

126,479.3

+7,450.7

+7,488.6

Total: Senate basis w/o CFTC

140,490.7

149,695.3

147,490.4

147,729.3

+6,999.7

+7,238.6

Source: CRS, using referenced appropriations text and report tables, and unpublished Congressional Budget Office (CBO) tables..

Notes: Amounts are nominal budget authority in millions of dollars. Amounts are discretionary authority unless labeled otherwise. Bracketed amounts are not in the official totals due to differing House-Senate jurisdiction for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). For FY2017, the Financial Services appropriation was reported on June 16, 2016, and is available at http://www.appropriations.senate.govCFTC.

a. Includes some mandatory funding from other titles, particularly mandatory conservation programs.

b. In addition to the FY2016 appropriation in Title V, an extra $250 million for Food for Peace Title II grants was appropriated under General Provisions. The effective total for Title V is $2.118 billion for FY2016.

c. See the Senate-reported Financial Services appropriation, S. 3067. d. Changes in Mandatory Program Spending (CHIMPS) are reductions made to mandatory programs.

de. "Scorekeeping adjustments" are not necessarily appropriated items and may not be shown in appropriations committee tables but are part of the official CBO score (accounting) of the bill. They predominantly include "negative subsidies" in loan program accounts and adjustments for disaster designations in the bill.

Table 2. Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations, by Agency, FY2014-FY2017

(budget authority in millions of dollars)

 

FY2014

FY2015

FY2016

FY2017

Change: FY2016 to…

Agency or Major Program

P.L. 113-76

P.L. 113-235

P.L. 114-113

Admin. Request

HouseH. Cmte. H.R. 5054

Senate
S. Cmte. S. 2956

Enacted

House

Senate

Title I. Agricultural Programs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Departmental Administration

526.1

364.5

373.2

448.7

392.4

403.5

+19.2

+30.3

Research, Education and Economics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agricultural Research Service

1,122.5

1,177.6

1,355.9

1,255.8

1,251.4

1,242.2

-104.5

-113.7

National Institute of Food &and Agriculture

1,277.1

1,289.5

1,326.5

1,374.0

1,341.2

1,363.7

+14.7

+37.3

National Agricultural Statistics Service

161.2

172.4

168.4

176.6

168.4

169.6

+0.0

+1.2

Economic Research Service

78.1

85.4

85.4

91.3

86.0

86.8

+0.6

+1.4

Under Secretary, Research, Education, Econ.

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

+0.0

+0.0

Marketing and Regulatory Programs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Animal &and Plant Health Inspection Service

824.9

874.5

897.6

904.4

934.0

942.5

+36.4

+44.9

Agricultural Marketing Service

81.3

82.4

82.5

83.2

83.5

84.2

+1.0

+1.7

Section 32 (M)

1,107.0

1,284.0

1,303.0

1,322.0

1,322.0

1,322.0

+19.0

+19.0

Grain Inspection, Packers, Stockyards Admin.

40.3

43.0

43.1

43.5

43.1

43.5

+0.0

+0.4

Under Secretary, Marketing and Regulatory

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

+0.0

+0.0

Food Safety

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food Safety & Inspection Service

1,010.7

1,016.5

1,014.9

1,030.4

1,030.4

1,033.8

+15.5

+18.9

Under Secretary, Food Safety

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

+0.0

+0.0

Farm and Commodity Programs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Farm Service Agencya

1,592.2

1,603.3

1,595.1

1,613.6

1,607.5

1,621.2

+12.4

+26.1

FSA Farm Loans: Loan Authorityb

5,527.3

6,402.1

6,402.1

6,655.1

6,667.1

6,655.1

+265.0

+252.9

Risk Management Agency Salaries &and Exp.

71.5

74.8

74.8

66.6

74.8

75.8

+0.0

+0.9

Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (M)

9,502.9

8,930.5

7,858.0

8,839.1

8,839.1

8,849.1

+981.1

+991.1

Commodity Credit Corporation (M)

12,538.9

13,444.7

6,871.1

13,476.9

13,476.9

13,476.9

+6,605.7

+6,605.7

Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agr.

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

+0.0

+0.0

Subtotal: Discretionary

6,789.0

6,786.9

7,020.3

7,091.1

7,015.7

7,069.7

-4.6

+49.5

Mandatory (M)

23,149.1

23,659.7

16,032.6

23,638.4

23,638.4

23,648.4

+7,605.8

+7,615.8

Subtotal

29,938.1

30,446.6

23,052.9

30,729.5

30,654.1

30,718.2

+7,601.2

+7,665.3

Title II. Conservation Programs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conservation Operations

812.9

846.4

850.9

860.4

855.3

864.5

+4.4

+13.6

Watershed and Flood Prevention

150.0

+0.0

+150.0

Watershed Rehabilitation Program

12.0

12.0

12.0

12.0

+0.0

-12.0

Under Secretary, Natural Resources

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

+0.0

+0.0

Subtotal

825.8

859.3

863.8

861.3

868.2

1,015.4

+4.4

+151.6

Title III. Rural Development

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salaries and Expenses (including transfers)c

657.4

678.2

682.9

698.5

672.8

683.3

-10.0

+0.4

Rural Housing Service

1,279.6

1,298.4

1,616.4

1,616.9

1,653.5

1,639.4

+37.0

+23.0

RHS Loan Authorityb

27,408.1

27,421.5

27,496.8

27,433.2

27,653.4

27,596.4

+156.6

+99.5

Rural Business-Cooperative Serviced

130.2

103.2

90.5

149.5

110.4

92.0

+18.9

+1.6

RBCS Loan Authorityb

1,022.8

984.5

979.3

1,116.0

998.7

979.3

+19.3

+0.0

Rural Utilities Service

501.6

501.7

559.3

550.1

598.8

586.0

+39.5

+26.7

RUS Loan Authorityb

7,514.5

7,464.1

8,210.6

7,993.8

8,210.0

8,217.0

-0.6

+6.5

Under Secretary, Rural Development

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

+0.0

+0.0

Subtotal

2,569.7

2,582.4

2,950.0

3,015.9

3,036.4

3,001.7

+85.4

+51.7

Subtotal, RD Loan Authorityb

35,945.4

35,870.1

36,686.7

36,543.0

36,862.1

36,792.7

+175.4

+106.0

Title IV. Domestic Food Programs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Child Nutrition Programs (M)

19,288.0

21,300.2

22,149.7

23,230.7

23,175.7

23,201.7

+1,025.9

+1,052.0

WIC Program

6,715.8

6,623.0

6,350.0

6,350.0

6,350.0

6,350.0

+0.0

+0.0

SNAP, Food & Nutrition Act Programs (M)

82,169.9

81,837.6

80,849.4

81,689.2

79,673.3

79,682.2

-1,176.1

-1,167.2

Commodity Assistance Programs

269.7

278.5

296.2

313.1

315.1

313.1

+18.9

+16.9

Nutrition Programs Administration

141.3

150.8

150.8

179.4

168.5

173.3

+17.7

+22.5

Under SecretarySec., Food, Nutrition & Consumer

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

+0.0

+0.0

Subtotal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discretionary

7,152.7

7,094.1

6,838.9

6,932.4

6,880.5

6,890.3

+41.6

+51.4

Mandatory (M)

101,432.9

103,096.7

102,958.1

104,830.9

102,803.0

102,830.9

-155.2

-127.3

Subtotal

108,585.6

110,190.9

109,797.0

111,763.3

109,683.4

109,721.1

-113.6

-75.9

Title V. Foreign Assistance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foreign Agricultural Service

177.9

181.4

191.6

196.6

194.6

196.6

+3.0

+5.0

Food for Peace Title II, and admin. expenses

1,468.7

1,468.5

1,468.5e

1,350.1

1,466.1

1,600.1

-2.4

+131.6

Local and regional food procurement

15.0

+0.0

+0.0

McGovern-Dole Food for Education

185.1

191.6

201.6

182.0

201.6

201.6

+0.0

+0.0

CCC Export Loan Salaries

6.7

6.7

6.7

8.5

8.5

8.5

+1.8

+1.8

Subtotal

1,838.5

1,848.3

1,868.5e

1,752.3

1,870.9

2,006.9

+2.4

+138.4

Title VI. Related Agencies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food and Drug Administration

2,560.7

2,597.3

2,729.6

2,742.7

2,765.6

2,771.8

+36.0

+42.2

Commodity Futures Trading Commissionf

215.0

[250.0]

250.0

330.0

250.0

[250.0]f

+0.0

+0.0

Subtotal

2,775.7

2,597.3

2,979.6

3,072.7

3,015.6

[3,021.8]

+36.0

+42.2

Title VII. General Provisions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reductions in Mandatory Programsg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a. Environmental Quality Incentives Program

-272.0

-136.0

-209.0

-209.0

-189.0

+0.0

+20.0

b. Watershed Rehabilitation Program

-153.0

-69.0

-68.0

-54.0

-54.0

-63.0

+14.0

+5.0

c. Conservation Stewardship Program

-7.0

-5.0

-5.0

+0.0

d. Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

-119.0

-122.0

-125.0

-125.0

-125.0

-125.0

+0.0

+0.0

e. Biorefinery Assistance Program

-40.7

-16.0

-19.0

-30.0

-11.0

+19.0

f. Biomass Crop Assistance Program

-2.0

-20.0

-20.0

-20.0

+0.0

+0.0

g. The Emergency Food Assistance Program

+19.0

+19.0

+0.0

h. Cushion of Credit (Rural Development)

-172.0

-179.0

-179.0

-151.5

-151.5

-165.0

+27.5

+14.0

i. Section 32

-189.0

-121.0

-216.0

-311.0

-231.0

-237.0

-15.0

-21.0

j. Other CHIMPS and rescissions

-8.0

-133.0

+5.0

+0.0

-4.0

+5.0

-9.0

+0.0

Subtotal, CHIMPS

-953.7

-785.0

-831.0

-641.5

-810.5

-794.0

+20.5

+37.0

Rescissions (discretionary)

-33.3

-17.0

-34.0

-4.2

-104.2

-204.2

-70.2

-170.2

Other appropriations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+0.0

+0.0

a. Disaster/emergency programs

116.0

273.0

5.0

-268.0

-273.0

b. Other appropriations

106.6

6.6

283.1e

45.5

16.6

-236.6

-266.5

Subtotal, Other appropriations

106.6

122.6

556.1

50.5

16.6

0.0

-504.6

-539.5

Total, General Provisions

-880.4

-679.4

-308.9

-645.7

-864.2

-981.6

0.0

-554.3

-672.7

Scorekeeping Adjustmentsh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disaster declaration in this bill

-116.0

-130.0

+130.0

+130.0

Other scorekeeping adjustments

-191.0

-398.0

-332.0

-524.0

-524.0

-524.0

-192.0

-192.0

Subtotal, Scorekeeping adjustments

-191.0

-514.0

-462.0

-524.0

-524.0

-524.0

-62.0

-62.0

Totals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discretionary: Senate basis w/o CFTC

[20,665.0]

20,575.0

[21,500.0]

21,225.9

[21,049.0]

21,250.0

-451.0

-250.0

Discretionary: House basis w/ CFTC

20,880.0

[20,825.0]

21,750.0

21,555.9

21,299.0

[21,500.0]f

-451.0

-250.0

Mandatory (M)

124,582.0

126,756.5

118,990.7

128,469.3

126,441.4

126,479.3

+7,450.7

+7,488.6

Total: Senate basis w/o CFTC

145,247.0

147,331.5

140,490.7

149,695.3

147,490.4

147,729.3

+9,204.6

+7,238.6

Source: CRS, using referenced appropriations text and report tables, and unpublished Congressional Budget Office (CBO) tables.

Notes: Amounts are nominal budget authority in millions of dollars. Amounts are discretionary authority unless labeled otherwise; (M) indicates that the account is mandatory authority (or primarily mandatory authority). Bracketed amounts are not in the official totals due to differing House-Senate jurisdiction for CFTC but are shown for comparison. For FY2017, the Financial Services appropriation was reported on June 16, 2016, and is available at http://www.appropriations.senate.gov.

a. Includes regular FSA salaries and expenses, plus transfers for farm loan program salaries and administrative expenses. Also includes farm loan program loan subsidy, State Mediation Grants, Dairy Indemnity Program (mandatory funding), and Grassroots Source Water Protection Program. Does not include appropriations to the Foreign Agricultural Service for export loans and P.L. 480 administration that are transferred to FSA.

b. Loan authority is the amount of loans that can be made or guaranteed with a loan subsidy. It is not added in the budget authority subtotals or totals.

c. Includes Rural Development salaries and expenses and transfers from the three rural development agencies for salaries and expenses. Amounts for the agencies thus reflect program funds for loans and grants.

d. Amounts for the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS) are before the rescission in the Cushion of Credit account, unlike in Appropriations committee tables. The rescission is included with the changes in mandatory program spending (CHIMPS) as classified by CBO, which allows the RBCS subtotal to remain positive.

e. In addition to the FY2016 appropriation for Food for Peace Title II grants in Title V ($1.466 billion), an extra $250 million was appropriated under General Provisions. The combined total for Food for Peace Title II grants is therefore $1.716 billion, and the effective Title V total is $2.118 billion for FY2016.

f. Jurisdiction for CFTC is in the House agricultureAgriculture appropriations subcommittee and the Senate financial servicesFinancial Services appropriations subcommittee. After FY2008, CFTC is carried in enacted Agriculture appropriations in even-numbered fiscal years, always in House Agriculture markup and never in Senate Agriculture markup. Bracketed amounts are not in the official totals due to differing House-Senate jurisdiction for CFTC but are shown for comparison. For FY2017, the Financial Services appropriation was reported on June 16, 2016, and is available at http://www.appropriations.senate.govthe FY2017 Senate amount, see the Senate-reported Financial Services appropriation, S. 3067.

g. Includes reductions (limitations and rescissions) to mandatory programs that may also be known as Changes in Mandatory Program Spending (CHIMPS).

h. "Scorekeeping adjustments" are not necessarily appropriated items and may not be shown in appropriations committee tables but are part of the official CBO score (accounting) of the bill. They predominantly include "negative subsidies" in loan program accounts and adjustments for disaster designations in the bill.

Appendix. Action on Agriculture Appropriations

Table A-1. Congressional Action on Agriculture Appropriations Since FY1995

 

House Action

Senate Action

Final Appropriation

 

Fiscal Year

Subcmte.

Cmte.

Floor

Subcmte.

Cmte.

Floor

Enacteda

Public Law

CRS Report

1995

5/26/1994

6/9/1994

6/17/1994

6/22/1994

6/23/1994

7/20/1994

9/30/1994

E

P.L. 103-330

IB94011

1996

6/14/1995

6/27/1995

7/21/1995

9/13/1995

9/14/1995

9/20/1995

10/21/1995

E

P.L. 104-37

95-624

1997

5/30/1996

6/6/1996

6/12/1996

7/10/1996

7/11/1996

7/24/1996

8/6/1996

E

P.L. 104-180

IB96015

1998

6/25/1997

7/14/1997

7/24/1997

7/15/1997

7/17/1997

7/24/1997

11/18/1997

E

P.L. 105-86

97-201

1999

6/10/1998

6/16/1998

6/24/1998

6/9/1998

6/11/1998

7/16/1998

10/21/1998

O

P.L. 105-277

98-201

2000

5/13/1999

5/24/1999

6/8/1999

6/15/1999

6/17/1999

8/4/1999

10/22/1999

E

P.L. 106-78

RL30201

2001

5/4/2000

5/16/2000

7/11/2000

5/4/2000

5/10/2000

7/20/2000

10/28/2000

E

P.L. 106-387

RL30501

2002

6/6/2001

6/27/2001

7/11/2001

Polled outb

7/18/2001

10/25/2001

11/28/2001

E

P.L. 107-76

RL31001

2003

6/26/2002

7/26/2002

7/23/2002

7/25/2002

2/20/2003

O

P.L. 108-7

RL31301

2004

6/17/2003

7/9/2003

7/14/2003

7/17/2003

11/6/2003

11/6/2003

1/23/2004

O

P.L. 108-199

RL31801

2005

6/14/2004

7/7/2004

7/13/2004

9/8/2004

9/14/2004

12/8/2004

O

P.L. 108-447

RL32301

2006

5/16/2005

6/2/2005

6/8/2005

6/21/2005

6/27/2005

9/22/2005

11/10/2005

E

P.L. 109-97

RL32904

2007

5/3/2006

5/9/2006

5/23/2006

6/20/2006

6/22/2006

2/15/2007

Y

P.L. 110-5

RL33412

2008

7/12/2007

7/19/2007

8/2/2007

7/17/2007

7/19/2007

12/26/2007

O

P.L. 110-161

RL34132

2009

6/19/2008

Polled outb

7/17/2008

3/11/2009

O

P.L. 111-8

R40000

2010

6/11/2009

6/18/2009

7/9/2009

Polled outb

7/7/2009

8/4/2009

10/21/2009

E

P.L. 111-80

R40721

2011

6/30/2010

Polled outb

7/15/2010

4/15/2011

Y

P.L. 112-10

R41475

2012

5/24/2011

5/31/2011

6/16/2011

Polled outb

9/7/2011

11/1/2011

11/18/2011

O

P.L. 112-55

R41964

2013

6/6/2012

6/19/2012

Polled outb

4/26/2012

3/26/2013

O

P.L. 113-6

R43110

2014

6/5/2013

6/13/2013

6/18/2013

6/20/2013

1/17/2014

O

P.L. 113-76

R43110

2015

5/20/2014

5/29/2014

5/20/2014

5/22/2014

12/16/2014

O

P.L. 113-235

R43669

2016

6/18/2015

7/8/2015

7/14/2015

7/16/2015

12/18/2015

O

P.L. 114-113

R44240

2017

4/13/2016

Draftc

Voice vote

4/19/2016

H.R. 5054

H.Rept. 114-531

Voice vote

5/17/2016

Voice vote

5/19/2016

S. 2956

S.Rept. 114-259

30-0

 

R44441

Source: CRS.

a. E = Enacted as standalone appropriation (9 times over 22 years); O = Omnibus appropriation (11 times); Y = Year-long continuing resolution (two times).

b. A procedure that permits a Senate subcommittee to transmit a bill to its full committee without a formal markup session. See CRS Report RS22952, Proxy Voting and Polling in Senate Committee.

c. The House Agriculture appropriations subcommittee draft is available at http://appropriations.house.gov/UploadedFiles/BILLS-114HR-SC-AP-FY2017-Agriculture-SubcommitteeDraft.pdf.

Author Contact Information

[author name scrubbed], Coordinator, Acting Section Research Manager ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])
[author name scrubbed], Analyst in Agricultural Policy ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])
[author name scrubbed], Analyst in Health Policy ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])
[author name scrubbed], Specialist in Nutrition Assistance Policy ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])
[author name scrubbed], Specialist in Agricultural Policy ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])

Key Policy Staff

Area of Expertise

Name

Phone

Email

Agricultural appropriations generally

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Agricultural research

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Agricultural Marketing Service

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Agricultural trade

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Commodity Futures Trading Commission

Rena Miller

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Conservation

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Dietary guidelines

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Disaster programs

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Domestic food assistance

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Farm Service Agency, CCC

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Food and Drug Administration

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Food Safety Modernization Act/FDA

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Food safety: FSIS/meat and poultry inspection

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Foreign food aid

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Admin.

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Rural development

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Footnotes

1.

See CRS Report R42388, The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction.

2.

Jurisdiction for CFTC appropriations differs between the chambers. Since FY2008, CFTC is marked up in the Agriculture subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, and in the Financial Services and General Government subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The enacted CFTC appropriation is carried in the Agriculture bill in even-numbered fiscal years, and in the Financial Services bill in odd-numbered fiscal years.

3.

See CRS Report R44428, The Federal Budget: Overview and Issues for FY2017 and Beyond.

4.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB), FY2017 Budget of the U.S. Government, especially in the Appendix, at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Appendix.

5.

USDA, FY2017 USDA Budget Summary; and USDA, 2017 Congressional Justification, http://www.obpa.usda.gov.

6.

See CRS Insight IN10499, GIPSA Rule Revived.

7.

79 Federal Register 35711.

8.

81 Federal Register 28973. FDA's "tobacco product" authorities are defined in FFDCA §901.

9.

Ibid.

10.

See CRS Report R42505, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): A Primer on Eligibility and Benefits.

11.

81 Federal Register 8015-8021 (February 17, 2016). See also 81 Federal Register 19500-19502 (April 5, 2016).

12.

The proposed rule's preamble states that, aside from the Farm Bill change, FNS is "using existing authority in [SNAP's authorizing statute] and feedback from a Request for Information that included five listening sessions in urban and rural locations across the nation and generated 233 public comments."

13.

As of October 1, 2015, all state agencies have opted to use simplified reporting for some or all households. SNAP State Options Report (April 2016), http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/snap/12-State_Options.pdf.

14.

USDA-FNS FY2017 congressional budget justification, p. "32-110," http://www.obpa.usda.gov/32fns2017notes.pdf.

15.

The final rule is dated January 2012 and the updated nutrition standards phased in beginning in school year 2013-2014. For further background, see "Selected Current Issues in the USDA Child Nutrition Programs" in CRS Report R43783, School Meals Programs and Other USDA Child Nutrition Programs: A Primer.

16.

Exempted schools are to maintain a 50% whole grain minimum, the requirement before school year 2014-2015.

17.

See CRS Report R44373, Tracking the Next Child Nutrition Reauthorization: In BriefAn Overview.