Agriculture and Related Agencies:
FY2014 Appropriations
Jim Monke
Specialist in Agricultural Policy
June 18, 2013
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
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epared for Members and Committees of Congress

Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2014 Appropriations

Summary
The annual Agriculture appropriations bill provides funding for all of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) except the Forest Service, plus the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
and, in even-numbered fiscal years, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
The House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee marked up its FY2014 Agriculture
appropriations bill on June 5, 2013, and full committee action followed on June 13, 2013. The
Senate Appropriations Committee reported its version on June 18, 2013.
The House-reported bill (H.R. 2410) would reduce discretionary Agriculture appropriations to
$19.45 billion, a cut of $1.28 billion from FY2013 levels (-6.2%). The bill is $519 million below
the Administration’s request for FY2014 (-2.6%).
The Senate subcommittee-approved bill would increase discretionary Agriculture appropriations
to $20.93 billion, an increase of $420 million from FY2013 levels (+2.1%). The bill is about $1.3
billion above the Administration’s request.
The House and Senate appropriations bills for FY2014 differ in their approach to handling budget
sequestration requirements. This difference in approach is resulting in relatively large differences
between the bill totals. The House approach generally sets spending levels low enough to avoid
sequestration, while the Senate approach assumes that Congress will reach agreement to replace
sequestration with other spending reductions.

Congressional Research Service

Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2014 Appropriations

Contents
Scope of the Agriculture Appropriations Bill .................................................................................. 1
Action on FY2014 Appropriations .................................................................................................. 1
House Action ............................................................................................................................. 2
Senate Action ............................................................................................................................. 2

Figures
Figure B-1. Timeline of Enactment of Agriculture Appropriations, FY1999-FY2013 ................. 12

Tables
Table 1. Congressional Action on FY2014 Agriculture Appropriations .......................................... 1
Table 2. Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations, by Agency and Program:
FY2011-FY2014 ........................................................................................................................... 3
Table B-1. Timeline of Enactment of Agriculture Appropriations, FY1999-FY2013 ................... 12

Appendixes
Appendix A. Background on Scope and Terms ............................................................................... 8
Appendix B. Agriculture Appropriations Timelines ...................................................................... 12

Contacts
Key Policy Staff ............................................................................................................................. 13
Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 13

Congressional Research Service

Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2014 Appropriations

Scope of the Agriculture Appropriations Bill
The Agriculture appropriations bill—formally known as the Agriculture, Rural Development,
Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act—provides funding for
the following agencies and departments:
• all of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) except the Forest Service,
which is funded in the Interior appropriations bill,
• the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the Department of Health and
Human Services, and
• in the House, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). In the
Senate, the Financial Services bill contains CFTC appropriations. In even-
numbered fiscal years, CFTC appears in the enacted Agriculture appropriation.
Jurisdiction over the Agriculture appropriations bill is with the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations, and their respective Subcommittees on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food
and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. The Agriculture appropriations bill includes both
mandatory and discretionary spending, although most of the attention and decision making during
the appropriations process is on discretionary spending. Amounts needed for mandatory
programs—under the jurisdiction of authorizing committees—generally are advanced without
change. For more on the scope of the bill and various appropriations terms such as mandatory and
discretionary spending, see Appendix A.
Action on FY2014 Appropriations
The House Appropriations Committee reported its version of an FY2014 Agriculture and Related
Agencies appropriations bill (H.R. 2410) on June 13, 2013, by voice vote (Table 1). In the
Senate, the Agriculture and Related Agencies subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations
Committee approved its version on June 18, 2013.
Table 1. Congressional Action on FY2014 Agriculture Appropriations
Subcommittee
Committee
Initial Passage
Conference Agreement
Public
House Senate House Senate House Senate Report House Senate Law
6/5/2013
6/18/2013 6/13/2012
— — — — — — —
Voice vote
Voice vote
Drafta
H.R. 2410b
Source: CRS.
a. The House subcommittee posted a draft of the bill before markup at http://appropriations.house.gov/
uploadedfiles/bills-113hr-sc-ap-fy2014-agriculture-subcommitteedraft.pdf.
b. Amendments adopted in full committee are available at http://appropriations.house.gov/uploadedfiles/
fy14agricultureadopted.pdf. Votes taken in ful committee markup are available at
http://appropriations.house.gov/UploadedFiles/06.13.13_-_Ag_-_Full_Committee_Roll_Cal _Votes.pdf.
Congressional Research Service
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2014 Appropriations

In the past 15 years, stand-alone Agriculture appropriations bills were enacted five times, in
FY2000-FY2002, FY2006, and FY2010 (Table B-1 in Appendix B). Omnibus appropriations
were used eight times, in FY1999, FY2003-FY2005, FY2008, FY2009, and FY2012-FY2013.1
Year-long continuing resolutions were used twice, in FY2007 and FY2011. Figure B-1 shows a
timeline of enactment dates each fiscal year, relative to other years.
House Action
The Agriculture Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee marked up its FY2014
appropriations bill by voice vote on June 5, 2013. The full House Appropriations Committee
reported the bill (H.R. 2410) by voice vote2 on June 13, 2013.3
The House-reported bill would reduce discretionary Agriculture appropriations to $19.45 billion,4
a cut of $1.28 billion from FY2013 levels (-6.2%), after adjusting for the alternating placement of
CFTC in Financial Services and Agriculture appropriations bills. The bill is $519 million below
the Administration’s request for FY2014 (-2.6%).5 Table 2 summarizes the amounts in the bill, by
title and for major agencies. Amounts for FY2013 do not reflect FY2013 sequestration,
consistent with the accompanying House report.
Senate Action
The Agriculture Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its FY2014 bill
on June 18, 2013. Full committee action is scheduled for June 20, 2013.
The subcommittee-approved bill would increase discretionary Agriculture appropriations to
$20.93 billion, an increase of $420 million from FY2013 levels (+2.1%), after adjusting for the
alternating placement of CFTC in Financial Service and Agriculture appropriations bills.6
The House and Senate appropriations bills for FY2014 differ in their approach to handling budget
sequestration requirements. This difference in approach is resulting in relatively large differences
between the bill totals ($19.45 billion in the House-reported bill, and $20.93 billion in the Senate
bill). The House approach is to set spending levels low enough to avoid sequestration, while the
Senate approach assumes that Congress will reach agreement to replace sequestration with other
spending reductions.7

1 A year-long continuing resolution was used for some subcommittee bills in FY2013, but the Agriculture and Related
Agencies appropriations bill was one of five subcommittees given a regular appropriation (Division A); the other seven
subcommittees received a year-long continuing resolution.
2 Amendments adopted in full committee are available at http://appropriations.house.gov/uploadedfiles/
fy14agricultureadopted.pdf. Votes taken in full committee markup are available at http://appropriations.house.gov/
UploadedFiles/06.13.13_-_Ag_-_Full_Committee_Roll_Call_Votes.pdf.
3 A draft of the committee bill, prior to amendment, is available at http://appropriations.house.gov/uploadedfiles/bills-
113hr-fc-ap-fy2014-ap00-agriculture.pdf. A draft of the committee report is available at http://appropriations.house.
gov/uploadedfiles/hrpt-113-hr-2014-agriculture.pdf.
4 The House-reported amounts are based on the draft committee report and tables, and are subject to change.
5 House Appropriations Committee press release, June 13, 2013, at http://appropriations.house.gov/news/
documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=338894.
6 Senate Appropriations Committee press release, June 18, 2013, at http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news.cfm?
method=news.view&id=a698771a-2052-4f8e-b34a-5404cc6345d8.
7 Congressional Quarterly, “Senate Panel Moving First Two Spending Bills,” June 18, 2013.
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Table 2. Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations, by Agency and Program: FY2011-FY2014
(budget authority in millions of dollars)
Change from
Change from
FY2011
FY2012
FY2013
FY2014
FY2013 to House
Admin to House
Admin.
House-
Agency or Major Program
P.L. 112-10
P.L. 112-55
P.L. 113-6
Request
reported
$ % $ %
SUMMARY by TITLE
I:
Agricultural
Programs
29,490.1 24,970.2 28,306.8 30,079.2 29,580.5
+1,273.7
+4.5%
-498.8
-1.7%
Mandatory
22,604.7 18,293.5 21,628.0 23,149.2 23,149.2
+1,521.2
+7.0%
+0.0
+0.0%
Discretionary
6,885.4 6,676.7 6,678.7 6,930.1 6,431.3 -247.5
-3.7%
-498.8
-7.2%
II:
Conservation
Programs
889.4 844.0 825.3 808.8 823.0 -2.3
-0.3%
+14.2
+1.7%
III:
Rural
Development
2,637.8 2,405.2 2,397.8 2,291.5 2,369.1 -28.6
-1.2%
+77.6
+3.4%
IV: Domestic Food Programs
89,655.1
105,553.0
104,438.5
106,437.6
103,795.8
-642.7
-0.6%
-2,641.8
-2.5%
Mandatory
82,526.8 98,551.9 97,171.6 98,835.3 96,784.3 -387.3
-0.4%
-2,051.0
-2.1%
Discretionary
7,128.3 7,001.1 7,266.9 7,602.2 7,011.5 -255.5
-3.5%
-590.8
-7.8%
V: Foreign Assistance
1,891.3
1,835.7
1,799.1
373.3
1,512.2
-286.9
-15.9%
+1,138.9
na
VI:
FDA
2,457.0 2,505.8 2,466.2 2,557.7 2,485.4 +19.2
+0.8%
-72.3
-2.8%
CFTC: Agriculture appropriationsa

205.3

315.0
194.6
-10.7
-5.2%
-120.4
-38.2%
CFTC: Financial Services appropriationsa
202.3
205.3

VII: General Provisions
-1,871.4
-1,273.6
-778.6
-732.0
-1,134.0
-355.4
+45.6%
-402.0
+54.9%
Total in Agriculture bill (no adjustment for jurisdiction over CFTC)a
Mandatory
105,131.5 116,845.4 118,799.6 121,984.5 119,933.5 +1,133.9
+1.0%
-2,051.0
-1.7%
Discretionary
20,017.8 20,200.3 20,655.5 20,146.7 19,693.0 -962.5
-4.7%
-453.7
-2.3%
Total
125,149.3 137,045.7 139,455.1 142,131.2 139,626.5 +171.4
+0.1%
-2,504.7
-1.8%
Adjustments to make comparison to 302(b) and across years for jurisdiction
Other scorekeeping adjustmentsb
-87.0 -72.0 -129.0 -177.4 -243.0
-114.0
+88.4%
-65.6
+37.0%
Subtract
disaster
declaration
0.0 -367.0

CRS-3

Change from
Change from
FY2011
FY2012
FY2013
FY2014
FY2013 to House
Admin to House
Admin.
House-
Agency or Major Program
P.L. 112-10
P.L. 112-55
P.L. 113-6
Request
reported
$ % $ %
Rural Business-Cooperative Servicei
127.8 109.3 120.0 149.3 96.1 -23.9
-19.9%
-53.1
-35.6%
RBCS Loan Authorityf
952.1 869.8 887.4 860.0 806.4 -81.0
-9.1%
-53.6
-6.2%
Rural Utilities Service
596.7 551.0 549.6 347.6 487.9 -61.7
-11.2%
+140.3
+40.4%
RUS Loan Authorityf
9,163.3 8,676.9 8,933.6 5,953.4 6,432.1
-2,501.4
-28.0%
+478.8
+8.0%
Rural Development Under Secretary
0.9
0.8
0.9
0.9
0.9
+0.0
+0.1%
-0.0
-3.0%
Subtotali
2,637.8 2,405.2 2,397.8 2,291.5 2,369.1 -28.6
-1.2%
+77.6
+3.4%
Subtotal, RD Loan Authorityf
35,866.1 36,092.7 37,225.6 32,888.0 34,545.9 -2,679.6
-7.2%
+1,657.9
+5.0%
Title IV: Domestic Food Programs

Child
Nutrition
Programs
17,319.9 18,151.2 19,891.2 20,487.2 20,452.2 +561.0
+2.8%
-35.0
-0.2%
WIC
Program
6,734.0 6,618.5 6,868.9 7,141.6 6,604.9 -264.1
-3.8%
-536.8
-7.5%
SNAP, Food & Nutrition Act Programs
65,206.7
80,401.7
77,290.2
78,389.6
76,332.1
-958.0
-1.2%
-2,057.5
-2.6%
Commodity
Assistance
Programs
246.1 242.3 247.6 271.7 265.9
+18.3
+7.4%
-5.8
-2.1%
Nutrition
Programs
Administration
147.5 138.5 139.9 146.6 139.9 +0.0
+0.0%
-6.7
-4.6%
Office of Under Secretary
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
+0.0
+0.0%
-0.0
-3.1%
Subtotal

Mandatory
82,526.8 98,551.9 97,171.6 98,835.3 96,784.3 -387.3
-0.4%
-2,051.0
-2.1%
Discretionary
7,128.3 7,001.1 7,266.9 7,602.2 7,011.5 -255.5
-3.5%
-590.8
-7.8%
Subtotal
89,655.1 105,553.0 104,438.5 106,437.6 103,795.8 -642.7
-0.6%
-2,641.8
-2.5%
Title V: Foreign Assistance

Foreign
Agric.
Service
185.6 176.3 172.3 178.8 172.9 +0.5
+0.3%
-6.0
-3.3%
Public Law (P.L.) 480
1,499.8
1,468.5
1,436.3
2.6
1,152.4
-283.9
-19.8%
+1,149.8
na
McGovern-Dole Food for Education
199.1
184.0
183.8
185.1
180.3
-3.5
-1.9%
-4.8
-2.6%
CCC Export Loan Salaries
6.8
6.8
6.6 6.7 6.6
+0.0
+0.0%
-0.1
-1.7%
Subtotal

1,891.3 1,835.7 1,799.1 373.3 1,512.2 -286.9
-15.9%
+1,138.9
na
CRS-6

Change from
Change from
FY2011
FY2012
FY2013
FY2014
FY2013 to House
Admin to House
Admin.
House-
Agency or Major Program
P.L. 112-10
P.L. 112-55
P.L. 113-6
Request
reported
$ % $ %
Title VI: FDA & Related Agencies

Food and Drug Administration
2,457.0
2,505.8
2,466.2
2,557.7
2,485.4
+19.2
+0.8%
-72.3
-2.8%
Commodity Futures Trading Commission

205.3

315.0
194.6
-10.7
-5.2%
-120.4
-38.2%
Title VII: General Provisions

Limit mandatory farm bill programs
-949.0
-1,205.5 -575.0 -630.0 -618.0 -43.0
+7.5%
+12.0
-1.9%
Rescissionsi
-925.0 -445.1 -343.4 -157.0 -516.0
-172.7
+50.3%
-359.0
+228.6%
Other appropriations
2.6
377.1
139.7
55.0
0.0
-139.7
-100.0%
-55.0
-100.0%
Subtotal

-1,871.4 -1,273.6 -778.6 -732.0 -1,134.0 -355.4
+45.6%
-402.0
+54.9%
Source: CRS, compiled from P.L. 113-6, P.L. 112-55, P.L. 112-10, and unpublished CBO and House Appropriations Committee tables. The House-reported amounts are
based on the draft committee report and tables, and are subject to change.
Notes: Does not include FY2013 sequestration or Section 3004 rescissions in FY2013, consistent with House tables. Does not include supplemental appropriations.
a. CFTC is shown in different ways because of jurisdiction differences to make totals comparable.
b. “Other scorekeeping adjustments” are not appropriated items (e.g., negative subsidies in loan program accounts) and are not shown in Appropriations Committee
tables, but are part of the official score (accounting) of the bill. Adjustments for disaster designation are made only if disaster amounts were included in the bill’s 302(b)
allocation, and allow regular appropriations to be compared across years.
c. Includes offices for Advocacy and Outreach; Chief Financial Officer; Assistant Secretary and Office for Civil Rights; Assistant Secretary for Administration; Hazardous
Materials Mgt.; Dept. Administration; Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations; Office of Communications; General Counsel; Office of Homeland Security.
d. Includes four Under Secretary offices: Research, Education and Economics; Marketing and Regulatory Programs; Food Safety; and Farm and Foreign Agriculture.
e. Includes regular FSA salaries and expenses, plus transfers for farm loan program salaries and expenses and farm loan program administrative expenses. However,
amounts transferred from the Foreign Agricultural Service for export loans and P.L. 480 administration are included in the originating account.
f.
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.
g. Includes Dairy Indemnity Program, State Mediation Grants, and Grassroots Source Water Protection Program.
h. Commodity Credit Corporation and Federal Crop Insurance Corporation each receive “such sums as necessary.” Estimates are used in the appropriations bill reports.
i.
Amounts for the Rural Business Cooperative Service in this report are before the rescission from the Cushion of Credit account. This approach allows the total
appropriation for RBS to remain positive, unlike in Appropriations committee tables. The rescission is included in the General Provisions section.

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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2014 Appropriations

Appendix A. Background on Scope and Terms
USDA Activities and Relationships to Appropriations Bills
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) carries out widely varied responsibilities through
about 30 separate internal agencies and offices staffed by about 100,000 employees.8 USDA
spending is not synonymous with farm program spending, nor are Agriculture appropriations
completely correlated with USDA spending.
USDA divides its activities into “mission areas.” Food and nutrition programs, with more than
three-fourths of USDA’s budget in FY2012, are the largest mission area, supporting the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps); the Women, Infants,
and Children (WIC) program; and child nutrition programs.9 The second-largest USDA mission
area, with about one-eighth of USDA’s budget, is farm and foreign agricultural services. This
broad mission area includes the farm commodity price and income support programs, crop
insurance, certain mandatory conservation and trade programs, farm loans, and foreign food aid
programs. Five other mission areas share one-eighth of USDA’s budget, including natural
resource and environment, rural development, research and education, marketing and regulatory
programs, and food safety.
Comparing USDA’s organization and budget data to the Agriculture appropriations bill in
Congress is not always easy. USDA’s “mission areas” do not always correspond to the titles or
categories in the Agriculture appropriations bill.
• Foreign agricultural assistance is a separate title in the appropriations bill (Title
V), but is joined with domestic farm support in USDA’s “farm and foreign
agriculture” mission area.
• Title I in the appropriations bill covers four of USDA’s mission areas:
agricultural research, marketing and regulatory programs, food safety, and the
farm support portion of farm and foreign agriculture.
• The Forest Service is about half of the natural resources mission area but is
funded in the Interior appropriations bill. It also accounts for about one-third of
USDA’s personnel, with about 34,000 staff years in FY2011.
The type of funding (mandatory vs. discretionary) also is an important difference between how
the appropriations bill and USDA’s mission areas are organized.
• Conservation in the appropriations bill (Title II) includes only discretionary
programs. The mandatory funding for conservation programs is included in Title
I of the appropriation in the Commodity Credit Corporation.
• Conversely, the non-Forest Service part of USDA’s natural resources mission
area includes both discretionary programs and some mandatory conservation
programs.

8 USDA, FY2014 Budget Summary and Annual Performance Plan, April 2013, p. 114, at http://www.obpa.usda.gov/
budsum/FY14budsum.pdf.
9 USDA, FY2014 Budget Summary, at p. 108-109.
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2014 Appropriations

Related Agencies
In addition to the USDA agencies mentioned above, the Agriculture appropriations
subcommittees have jurisdiction over appropriations for two related agencies:
• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS), and
• The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC, an independent financial
markets regulatory agency)—in the House only.
The combined share of FDA and CFTC funding (Title VI) in the overall Agriculture and Related
Agencies appropriations bill is about 2%.
Jurisdiction over CFTC appropriations is assigned differently in the House and Senate. Before
FY2008, the Agriculture subcommittees in both the House and Senate had jurisdiction over CFTC
funding. In FY2008, Senate jurisdiction moved to the Financial Services Appropriations
Subcommittee. Placement in the enacted version now alternates each year. In even-numbered
fiscal years, CFTC has resided in the Agriculture appropriations act. In odd-numbered fiscal
years, CFTC has resided in the enacted Financial Services appropriations act.
These agencies are included in the Agriculture appropriations bill because of their historical
connection to agricultural markets. However, the number and scope of non-agricultural issues has
grown in recent decades. Some may argue that these agencies no longer belong in the Agriculture
appropriations bill. But despite the growing importance of non-agricultural issues, agriculture and
food issues are still an important component at each agency. At FDA, food safety responsibilities
that are shared between USDA and FDA have been in the media during recent years and have
been the subject of legislation and hearings. At CFTC, volatility in agricultural commodity
markets has been a subject of recent scrutiny at CFTC and in Congress.
Discretionary vs. Mandatory Spending
Discretionary and mandatory spending are treated differently in the budget process. Discretionary
spending is controlled by annual appropriations acts and consumes most of the attention during
the appropriations process. Eligibility for participation in mandatory programs (sometimes
referred to as entitlement programs) is usually written into authorizing laws;10 any individual or
entity that meets the eligibility requirements is entitled to the benefits authorized by the law.11
In FY2013, about 15% of the Agriculture appropriations bill was for discretionary programs
(about $20 billion), and the remaining balance of 85% was classified as mandatory (about $119
billion).

10 Mandatory spending in the omnibus, multi-year “farm bill” is discussed in CRS Report R42484, Budget Issues
Shaping a Farm Bill in 2013.
11 Mandatory spending in agriculture historically was reserved for programs such as the farm commodity programs and
crop insurance that had uncertain outlays because of weather and market conditions. Mandatory spending creates
funding stability and consistency compared to appropriations. When authorizing committees provide mandatory
funding for programs that usually are discretionary, appropriators sometimes argue that this has reduced appropriators’
oversight and have limited outlays for some of the relatively newer mandatory programs.
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2014 Appropriations

Most agency operations (salaries and expenses) are financed with discretionary funds. Major
discretionary programs include certain conservation programs; most rural development programs;
research and education programs; agricultural credit programs; the Special Supplemental
Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); the Food for Peace international
food aid program; meat and poultry inspection; and food marketing and regulatory programs. The
discretionary accounts also include FDA and CFTC appropriations.
The largest component of USDA’s mandatory spending is for food and nutrition programs—
primarily the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) and
child nutrition (school lunch and related programs)—along with the farm commodity price and
income support programs, the federal crop insurance program, and various agricultural
conservation and trade programs. Some mandatory spending, such as for the farm commodity
programs, is highly variable and is driven by program participation rates, economic and price
conditions, and weather patterns. Formulas are set in the 2008 farm bill (P.L. 110-246). In recent
years, mandatory spending has tended to rise, particularly as nutrition benefits have risen because
of the recession.
Although mandatory programs generally are outside the scope of the appropriations debate,
amounts for these programs are included in the annual Agriculture appropriations act. In terms of
budget enforcement, though, mandatory spending decisions are governed in the authorizations
process via the Congressional Budget Office baseline.12 For example, the SNAP and child
nutrition programs are funded by an annual appropriation based on projected spending needs. In
fact, SNAP is referred to as an “appropriated entitlement,” and requires an annual appropriation.13
In contrast, the Commodity Credit Corporation operates on a line of credit with the Treasury, but
receives an annual appropriation to reimburse the Treasury and to maintain its line of credit.
Budget Authority, Obligations, Outlays, and Program Levels
In addition to the difference between mandatory and discretionary spending, four other terms are
important to understanding differences in discussions about federal spending: budget authority,
obligations, outlays, and program levels.14
1. Budget authority = How much money Congress allows a federal agency to
commit to spend. It represents a limit on funding and is generally what Congress
focuses on in making most budgetary decisions. It is the legal basis to incur
obligations. Most of the amounts mentioned in this report are budget authority.
2. Obligations = How much money agencies commit to spend. Obligations
represent activities such as employing personnel, entering into contracts, and
submitting purchase orders.
3. Outlays = How much money actually flows out of an agency’s account. Outlays
may differ from appropriations (budget authority) because, for example,
payments on a contract may not flow out until a later year. For construction or

12 See CRS Report 98-560, Baselines and Scorekeeping in the Federal Budget Process, and CRS Report R42484,
Budget Issues Shaping a Farm Bill in 2013.
13 See CRS Report RS20129, Entitlements and Appropriated Entitlements in the Federal Budget Process.
14 See CRS Report 98-405, The Spending Pipeline: Stages of Federal Spending.
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2014 Appropriations

delivery of services, budget authority may be committed (contracted) in one
fiscal year and outlays may be spread across several fiscal years.
4. Program level = Sum of the activities supported or undertaken by an agency. A
program level may be much higher than its budget authority for several reasons.
• User fees support some activities (e.g., food or border inspection).
• The agency makes loans; for example, a large loan authority (program level)
is possible with a small budget authority (loan subsidy) that accounts for
defaults and interest rate assistance, assuming most loans are repaid.
• Transfers from other agencies, or funds are carried forward from prior years.
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2014 Appropriations

Appendix B. Agriculture Appropriations Timelines
Table B-1. Timeline of Enactment of Agriculture Appropriations, FY1999-FY2013
House-
Senate-
Appropriations
Fiscal Year
passed
passed
Enacted
vehicle
Public Law
CRS Report
1999 6/24/1998
7/16/1998
10/21/1998 Omnibus
P.L.
105-277 98-201
2000 6/8/1999
8/4/1999
10/22/1999 Stand-alone P.L.
106-78 RL30201
2001 7/11/2000
7/20/2000
10/28/2000 Stand-alone P.L.
106-387 RL30501
2002 7/11/2001
10/25/2001
11/28/2001 Stand-alone P.L.
107-76 RL31001
2003 — —
2/20/2003
Omnibus P.L.
108-7
RL31301
2004 7/14/2003
11/6/2003
1/23/2004 Omnibus
P.L.
108-199 RL31801
2005 7/13/2004 — 12/8/2004 Omnibus
P.L.
108-447 RL32301
2006 6/8/2005
9/22/2005
11/10/2005 Stand-alone P.L.
109-97 RL32904
2007
5/23/2006
—
2/15/2007
Year-long CR
P.L. 110-5
RL33412
2008 8/2/2007 — 12/26/2007 Omnibus P.L.
110-161
RL34132
2009 — —
3/11/2009
Omnibus P.L.
111-8
R40000
2010 7/9/2009
8/4/2009
10/21/2009 Stand-alone P.L.
111-80 R40721
2011
—
—
4/15/2011
Year-long CR
P.L. 112-10
R41475
2012 6/16/2011
11/1/2011
11/18/2011 Minibus
P.L.
112-55 R41964
2013
—
—
3/26/2013
Omnibus (in a CR)
P.L. 113-6
R42596
Source: CRS.
Figure B-1. Timeline of Enactment of Agriculture Appropriations, FY1999-FY2013

Source: CRS.
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2014 Appropriations

Key Policy Staff

Area of Expertise
Name
Phone
E-mail
Agricultural Marketing Service
Remy Jurenas
7-7281
rjurenas@crs.loc.gov
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Renée Johnson
7-9588
rjohnson@crs.loc.gov
Animal identification
Joel Greene
7-9877
jgreene@crs.loc.gov
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Rena S. Miller
7-0826
rsmiller@crs.loc.gov
Conservation and related disaster provisions
Megan Stubbs
7-8707
mstubbs@crs.loc.gov
Crop insurance and crop disaster assistance
Dennis A. Shields
7-9051
dshields@crs.loc.gov
Farm Service Agency and Commodity Credit Corp. Jim Monke
7-9664
jmonke@crs.loc.gov
Food and Drug Administration
Susan Thaul
7-0562
sthaul@crs.loc.gov
Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Admin.
Joel Greene
7-9877
jgreene@crs.loc.gov
Horticulture Renée
Johnson
7-9588
rjohnson@crs.loc.gov
Meat and Poultry Inspection
Renée Johnson
7-9588
rjohnson@crs.loc.gov
Nutrition and domestic food assistance
Randy Aussenberg
7-8641
raussenberg@crs.loc.gov
Research and extension
Dennis A. Shields
7-9051
dshields@crs.loc.gov
Rural Development
Tadlock Cowan
7-7600
tcowan@crs.loc.gov
Section 32
Jim Monke
7-9664
jmonke@crs.loc.gov
Trade and foreign food aid
Charles E. Hanrahan
7-7235
chanrahan@crs.loc.gov
USDA budget general y
Jim Monke
7-9664
jmonke@crs.loc.gov

Author Contact Information
Jim Monke
Specialist in Agricultural Policy
jmonke@crs.loc.gov, 7-9664

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