FY2017 Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations: In Brief

May 11, 2017 (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). (For CFTC, the Agriculture appropriations subcommittee has jurisdiction in the House but not in the Senate.)

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.

The FY2017 appropriation for Agriculture and Related Agencies was enacted on May 5, 2017, as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 115-31, Division A). The fiscal year started on October 1, 2016, under continuing resolutions (CRs) that continued FY2016 funding with a few exceptions. The House and the Senate Appropriations Committees reported their FY2017 Agriculture appropriations bills (H.R. 5054, S. 2956) in April and May 2016.

The discretionary total of the enacted appropriation is $20.877 billion, which is $623 million less than enacted in FY2016 (-2.9%). It achieves this primarily by increasing budgetary offsets over the FY2016 level through greater rescissions of prior appropriations and greater scorekeeping adjustments.

However, the budget authority for FY2017 provided to agencies in the major titles of the bill actually increases by $462 million compared to FY2016. Increases primarily include $163 million more for discretionary conservation programs than in FY2016, $119 million more for rural development, $65 million more for discretionary domestic nutrition programs, $52 million more for animal and plant health programs, $51 million more for agricultural research programs, $42 million more for the Food and Drug Administration, $29 million more for the Farm Service Agency, $20 million more for USDA administrative facilities, and $17 million more for food safety inspections. Reductions primarily come from a rescission of unused domestic nutrition assistance funding ($850 million rescission), supplemental funding for international food aid ($116 million less than in FY2016), agricultural research facilities ($112 million less), greater use of a disaster designation that does not count against budget caps ($76 million extra offset), and disaster assistance ($38 million less).

The appropriation also carries mandatory spending that totaled about $132.5 billion. The overall total of the FY2017 Agricultural appropriation therefore exceeded $153 billion.


FY2017 Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations: In Brief

Action on FY2017 Agriculture Appropriations

The FY2017 appropriation for Agriculture and Related Agencies was enacted on May 5, 2017, as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 115-31, Division A). The fiscal year started on October 1, 2016, under a continuing resolution (CR) that lasted until December 9, 2016 (P.L. 114-223, Division C). A second CR lasted until April 28, 2017 (P.L. 114-254, Division A). A third CR extended until May 5 (P.L. 115-30). The CRs continued FY2016 funding with a few exceptions.1

In regular action, the House and the Senate Appropriations Committees reported their FY2017 Agriculture appropriations bills (H.R. 5054, S. 2956) in April and May 2016, with some of the earliest subcommittee action in two decades (Figure 1; Appendix). But no further action on the individual bills occurred until they were incorporated into the omnibus appropriation.2

The discretionary total of the enacted appropriation is $20.877 billion, which is $623 million less than enacted in FY2016 (-2.9%). The appropriation also carries mandatory spending—largely determined in separate authorizing laws—that totaled about $132.5 billion. The overall total therefore exceeded $153 billion (Table 1). The discretionary caps were set so as not to trigger sequestration under limits established by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-74).3

The White House released its FY2017 budget request on February 9, 2016,4 along with the detailed justification from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).5 The new Administration released an outline for FY2018 appropriations on March 16, 2017.6

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 usual practice for handling jurisdictional differences between the House and Senate.7

Agriculture appropriations include both mandatory and discretionary spending, but discretionary amounts are the primary focus since mandatory amounts are generally set by authorizing laws. The scope of the appropriation is shown by the major allocations in 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-FY2017

Source: CRS.

Figure 2. Scope of Agriculture Appropriations

(FY2017 budget authority in billions of dollars

Source: CRS. Detail does not show some agencies under $0.5 billion and other rescissions or reductions.

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

Amounts in the FY2017 Appropriation

The $20.877 billion enacted in the FY2017 Agriculture appropriation is officially $623 million smaller than the FY2016 discretionary appropriation (in terms of its allocation that counts against the budget limit, the "302(b)" subcommittee allocation). It achieves this primarily by increasing budgetary offsets over the FY2016 level through greater rescissions of prior appropriations and greater scorekeeping adjustments primarily from "negative subsidies" from loan programs that charge fees (Table 1). However, the budget authority provided to agencies in the major titles of the bill actually increases by $462 million (the top of the shaded bars in Figure 3).

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

Mandatory spending carried in the bill—mostly determined in separate authorizing laws—increases $13.5 billion over FY2016. All of this increase is in farm programs, including a $14.4 billion increase in the reimbursement to the Commodity Credit Corporation for higher than expected payments for farm commodity revenue support programs (Table 2). This increase is automatic based on farm bill formulas and does not affect discretionary spending limits.

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. Agriculture appropriations peaked in FY2010 and declined through FY2013. Since then, total Agriculture appropriations have increased (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 FY2007. 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 (Table 2).

For example, in the FY2017 appropriation, budget authority for the primary agencies in the bill (Titles I-VI) increased $462 million (the top of the stacked bars in Figure 3) even though the official discretionary spending allocation decreased $623 million (the line 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 general agricultural programs and domestic nutrition programs. Rural development and conservation also had a real decrease over the same period, though FY2016 reversed that trend for rural development, and FY2017 reversed it for conservation.

Figure 3. Discretionary Agriculture Appropriations, by Title, Since FY2007

Source: CRS. Includes CFTC in Related Agencies in all years.

Figure 4. Inflation-Adjusted Discretionary Agriculture Appropriations Since FY2007

Source: CRS. Includes CFTC in Related Agencies in all years.

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 FY2017 Enacted

Title of Agriculture Appropriations Act

P.L. 114-113

Admin. Request

H. Cmte. H.R. 5054

S. Cmte. S. 2956

P.L. 115-31

 

I. Agricultural Programs: Discretionary

7,020.3

7,091.1

7,015.7

7,069.7

7,107.7

+87.4

+1.2%

Mandatory (M)a

16,032.6

23,638.4

23,638.4

23,648.4

31,280.2

+15,247.6

+95.1%

Subtotal

23,052.9

30,729.5

30,654.1

30,718.2

38,387.9

+15,335.0

+66.5%

II. Conservation Programs

863.8

861.3

868.2

1,015.4

1,027.4

+163.6

+18.9%

III. Rural Development

2,950.0

3,015.9

3,036.4

3,001.7

3,069.2

+119.2

+4.0%

IV. Domestic Food Programs: Discretionary

6,838.9

6,932.4

6,880.5

6,890.3

6,884.7

+45.8

+0.7%

Mandatory (M)

102,958.1

104,830.9

102,803.0

102,830.9

101,226.7

-1,731.5

-1.7%

Subtotal

109,797.0

111,763.3

109,683.4

109,721.1

108,111.3

-1,685.6

-1.5%

V. Foreign Assistance

1,868.5b

1,752.3

1,870.9

2,006.9

1,872.9b

+4.4

+0.2%

VI. Food and Drug Administration

2,729.6

2,742.7

2,765.6

2,771.8

2,771.2

+41.6

+1.5%

Commodity Futures Trading Commission

250.0

330.0

250.0

[250.0]c

[250.0]

+0.0

+0.0

VII. General Provisions: CHIMPSd & rescissions

-865.0

-645.7

-914.7

-998.2

-1,597.0

-732.0

+84.6%

Disaster/emergency programs

273.0

0.0

5.0

0.0

234.8e

-38.2

-14.0%

Other appropriations

283.1b

0.0

45.5

16.6

237.4b

-45.7

-16.1%

Scorekeeping adjustmentsf

-332.0

-524.0

-524.0

-524.0

-525.0

-193.0

+58.1%

Subtract disaster declaration in this bill

-130.0

-206.1e

-76.1

+58.6%

Totals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discretionary: Senate basis w/o CFTC

[21,500.0]

21,225.9

[21,049.0]

21,250.0

20,877.0

-623.0

-2.9%

Discretionary: House basis w/ CFTC

21,750.0

21,555.9

21,299.0

[21,500.0]

[21,127.0]

-623.0

-2.9%

Mandatory (M)

118,990.7

128,469.3

126,441.4

126,479.3

132,506.9

+13,516.2

+11.4%

Total: Senate basis w/o CFTC

140,490.7

149,695.3

147,490.4

147,729.3

153,383.9

+12,893.2

+9.2%

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

Notes: Amounts are nominal budget authority in millions of dollars. Discretionary authority unless labeled otherwise. Bracketed amounts are not in the official totals due to differing House-Senate jurisdiction for CFTC.

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

b. In addition to the regular appropriations for Food for Peace Title II grants in Title V ($1.466 billion), extra appropriations were made under General Provisions in FY2016 ($250 million) and FY2017 ($134 million). The effective total for Food for Peace Title II grants is $1.716 billion in FY2016 and $1.600 billion in FY2017.

c. See the Senate-reported Financial Services appropriation, S. 3067.

d. Changes in Mandatory Program Spending (CHIMPS) are reductions made to mandatory programs.

e. Includes $206 million appropriated for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Emergency Watershed Program (EWP) in the second continuing resolution (P.L. 114-254, Section 185) that were offset as emergency spending. Another $29 million for ECP was included in the final appropriation (Section 753).

f. "Scorekeeping adjustments" are not necessarily appropriated items and may not always be shown 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 FY2017 Enacted

Agency or Major Program

P.L. 113-76

P.L. 113-235

P.L. 114-113

Admin. Request

H. Cmte. H.R. 5054

S. Cmte. S. 2956

P.L. 115-31

 

Title I. Agricultural Programs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Departmental Administration

526.1

364.5

373.2

448.7

392.4

403.5

403.9

+30.8

+8.2%

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

1,269.8

-86.1

-6.3%

National Institute of Food and Agriculture

1,277.1

1,289.5

1,326.5

1,374.0

1,341.2

1,363.7

1,362.9

+36.4

+2.7%

National Agricultural Statistics Service

161.2

172.4

168.4

176.6

168.4

169.6

171.2

+2.8

+1.7%

Economic Research Service

78.1

85.4

85.4

91.3

86.0

86.8

86.8

+1.4

+1.6%

Under Secretary, Research, Education, Econ.

0.9

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

949.4

+51.8

+5.8%

Agricultural Marketing Service

81.3

82.4

82.5

83.2

83.5

84.2

86.2

+3.7

+4.5%

Section 32 (M)

1,107.0

1,284.0

1,303.0

1,322.0

1,322.0

1,322.0

1,322.0

+19.0

+1.5%

Grain Inspection, Packers, Stockyards Admin.

40.3

43.0

43.1

43.5

43.1

43.5

43.5

+0.4

+1.0%

Under Secretary, Marketing and Regulatory

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

+0.0

+0.9%

Food Safety

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food Safety & Inspection Service

1,010.7

1,016.5

1,014.9

1,030.4

1,030.4

1,033.8

1,032.1

+17.2

+1.7%

Under Secretary, Food Safety

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

+0.0

+0.4%

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

1,624.0

+29.0

+1.8%

FSA Farm Loans: Loan Authorityb

5,527.3

6,402.1

6,402.1

6,655.1

6,667.1

6,655.1

8,002.6

+1,600.5

+25.0%

Risk Management Agency Salaries and Exp.

71.5

74.8

74.8

66.6

74.8

75.8

74.8

+0.0

+0.0%

Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (M)

9,502.9

8,930.5

7,858.0

8,839.1

8,839.1

8,849.1

8,667.0

+809.0

+10.3%

Commodity Credit Corporation (M)

12,538.9

13,444.7

6,871.1

13,476.9

13,476.9

13,476.9

21,290.7

+14,419.6

+209.9%

Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agr.

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

+0.0

+0.3%

Subtotal: Discretionary

6,789.0

6,786.9

7,020.3

7,091.1

7,015.7

7,069.7

7,107.7

+87.4

+1.2%

Mandatory (M)

23,149.1

23,659.7

16,032.6

23,638.4

23,638.4

23,648.4

31,280.2

+15,247.6

+95.1%

Subtotal

29,938.1

30,446.6

23,052.9

30,729.5

30,654.1

30,718.2

38,387.9

+15,335.0

+66.5%

Title II. Conservation Programs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conservation Operations

812.9

846.4

850.9

860.4

855.3

864.5

864.5

+13.6

+1.6%

Watershed and Flood Prevention

150.0

150.0

+150.0

Watershed Rehabilitation Program

12.0

12.0

12.0

12.0

12.0

+0.0

+0.0%

Under Secretary, Natural Resources

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

+0.0

+0.3%

Subtotal

825.8

859.3

863.8

861.3

868.2

1,015.4

1,027.4

+163.6

+18.9%

Title III. Rural Development

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salaries and Expenses (including transfers)c

657.4

678.2

682.9

698.5

672.8

683.3

675.8

-7.0

-1.0%

Rural Housing Service

1,279.6

1,298.4

1,616.4

1,616.9

1,653.5

1,639.4

1,654.9

+38.4

+2.4%

RHS Loan Authorityb

27,408.1

27,421.5

27,496.8

27,433.2

27,653.4

27,596.4

28,083.4

+586.6

+2.1%

Rural Business-Cooperative Serviced

130.2

103.2

90.5

149.5

110.4

92.0

97.7

+7.2

+8.0%

RBCS Loan Authorityb

1,022.8

984.5

979.3

1,116.0

998.7

979.3

988.4

+9.1

+0.9%

Rural Utilities Service

501.6

501.7

559.3

550.1

598.8

586.0

639.9

+80.5

+14.4%

RUS Loan Authorityb

7,514.5

7,464.1

8,210.6

7,993.8

8,210.0

8,217.0

8,217.0

+6.5

+0.1%

Under Secretary, Rural Development

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

+0.0

+0.3%

Subtotal, Discretionary

2,569.7

2,582.4

2,950.0

3,015.9

3,036.4

3,001.7

3,069.2

+119.2

+4.0%

Subtotal, RD Loan Authorityb

35,945.4

35,870.1

36,686.7

36,543.0

36,862.1

36,792.7

37,288.9

+602.2

+1.6%

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

22,794.0

+644.2

+2.9%

WIC Program

6,715.8

6,623.0

6,350.0

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

78,480.7

-2,368.7

-2.9%

Commodity Assistance Programs

269.7

278.5

296.2

313.1

315.1

313.1

315.1

+18.9

+6.4%

Nutrition Programs Administration

141.3

150.8

150.8

179.4

168.5

173.3

170.7

+19.9

+13.2%

Under Sec., Food, Nutrition & Consumer

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

+0.0

+0.4%

Subtotal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discretionary

7,152.7

7,094.1

6,838.9

6,932.4

6,880.5

6,890.3

6,884.7

+45.8

+0.7%

Mandatory (M)

101,432.9

103,096.7

102,958.1

104,830.9

102,803.0

102,830.9

101,226.7

-1,731.5

-1.7%

Subtotal

108,585.6

110,190.9

109,797.0

111,763.3

109,683.4

109,721.1

108,111.3

-1,685.6

-1.5%

Title V. Foreign Assistance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foreign Agricultural Service

177.9

181.4

191.6

196.6

194.6

196.6

196.6

+5.0

+2.6%

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

1,466.1e

-2.4

-0.2%

Local and regional food procurement

15.0

McGovern-Dole Food for Education

185.1

191.6

201.6

182.0

201.6

201.6

201.6

+0.0

+0.0%

CCC Export Loan Salaries

6.7

6.7

6.7

8.5

8.5

8.5

8.5

+1.8

+26.5%

Subtotal

1,838.5

1,848.3

1,868.5e

1,752.3

1,870.9

2,006.9

1,872.9

+4.4

+0.2%

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

2,771.2

+41.6

+1.5%

Commodity Futures Trading Commissionf

215.0

[250.0]

250.0

330.0

250.0

[250.0]f

[250.0]

+0.0%

+0.0%

Subtotal

2,775.7

2,597.3

2,979.6

3,072.7

3,015.6

[3,021.8]

[3,021.2]

+41.6

+1.4%

Title VII. General Provisions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reductions in Mandatory Programsg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a. Environmental Quality Incentives Program

-272.0

-136.0

-209.0

-209.0

-189.0

-179.0

+30.0

-14.4%

b. Watershed Rehabilitation Program

-153.0

-69.0

-68.0

-54.0

-54.0

-63.0

-54.0

+14.0

-20.6%

c. Conservation Stewardship Program

-7.0

-5.0

+0.0

+0.0%

d. Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

-119.0

-122.0

-125.0

-125.0

-125.0

-125.0

-125.0

+0.0

+0.0%

e. Biorefinery Assistance Program

-40.7

-16.0

-19.0

-30.0

-20.0

-1.0

+5.3%

f. Biomass Crop Assistance Program

-2.0

-20.0

-20.0

-20.0

-20.0

+0.0

+0.0%

g. The Emergency Food Assistance Program

+19.0

+19.0

+19.0

h. Cushion of Credit (Rural Development)

-172.0

-179.0

-179.0

-151.5

-151.5

-165.0

-132.0

+47.0

-26.3%

i. Section 32

-189.0

-121.0

-216.0

-311.0

-231.0

-237.0

-231.0

-15.0

+6.9%

j. Other CHIMPS and rescissions

-8.0

-133.0

+5.0

+0.0

-4.0

+5.0

-1.0

-6.0

-120.0%

Subtotal, CHIMPS

-953.7

-785.0

-831.0

-641.5

-810.5

-794.0

-743.0

+88.0

-10.6%

Rescissions (discretionary)

-33.3

-17.0

-34.0

-4.2

-104.2

-204.2

-854.0

-820.0

Other appropriations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a. Disaster/emergency programs

116.0

273.0

5.0

234.8h

-38.2

-14.0%

b. Other appropriations

106.6

6.6

283.1e

45.5

16.6

237.4e

-45.7

-16.1%

Subtotal, Other appropriations

106.6

122.6

556.1

50.5

16.6

472.2

-83.9

-15.1%

Total, General Provisions

-880.4

-679.4

-308.9

-645.7

-864.2

-981.6

-1,124.8

-815.9

Scorekeeping Adjustmentsi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disaster declaration in this bill

-116.0

-130.0

-206.1h

-76.1

+58.6%

Other scorekeeping adjustments

-191.0

-398.0

-332.0

-524.0

-524.0

-524.0

-525.0

-193.0

+58.1%

Subtotal, Scorekeeping adjustments

-191.0

-514.0

-462.0

-524.0

-524.0

-524.0

-731.1

-269.1

+58.3%

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

20,877.0

-623.0

-2.9%

Discretionary: House basis w/ CFTC

20,880.0

[20,825.0]

21,750.0

21,555.9

21,299.0

[21,500.0]f

[21,127.0]

-623.0

-2.9%

Mandatory (M)

124,582.0

126,756.5

118,990.7

128,469.3

126,441.4

126,479.3

132,506.9

+13,516.2

+11.4%

Total: Senate basis w/o CFTC

145,247.0

147,331.5

140,490.7

149,695.3

147,490.4

147,729.3

153,383.9

+12,893.2

+9.2%

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.

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 regular appropriations for Food for Peace Title II grants in Title V ($1.466 billion), extra appropriations were made under General Provisions in FY2016 ($250 million) and FY2017 ($134 million). The effective total for Food for Peace Title II grants is $1.716 billion in FY2016 and $1.600 billion in FY2017.

f. Jurisdiction for CFTC is in the House Agriculture appropriations subcommittee and the Senate Financial 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 the 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. Includes $206 million appropriated for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Emergency Watershed Program (EWP) in the second continuing resolution (P.L. 114-254, Section 185) that were offset as emergency spending. Another $29 million for ECP was included in the final appropriation (Section 753).

i. "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

5/5/2017

Votes:

H: 309-118

S: 79-18

O

P.L. 115-31

Explanatory Statement: Congressional Record, May 3, 2017, Part II, H3328-H3364

R44441 R44588

Source: CRS.

a. E = Enacted as standalone appropriation (9 times over 23 years); O = Omnibus appropriation (12 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], 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]loc.gov

Footnotes

1.

For more details on the FY2017 appropriation, including anomalies in the first two CRs, see CRS Report R44588, Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2017 Appropriations.

2.

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

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 IN10675, The President's FY2018 Budget Request for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

7.

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.