Agriculture and Related Agencies:
November 19, 2019
FY2020 Appropriations
Jim Monke
The Agriculture appropriations bill funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Specialist in Agricultural
except for the U.S. Forest Service. It also funds the Food and Drug Administration
Policy
(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. The largest discretionary spending items are the Special
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); agricultural research; rural
development; FDA; foreign food assistance and trade; farm assistance loans and salaries; food safety inspection;
animal and plant health programs; and technical assistance for conservation programs.
In the absence of an enacted full-year appropriation, FY2020 began on October 1, 2019, under a continuing
resolution (P.L. 116-59, Division A).
For the regular annual appropriation, the Trump Administration requested in March 2019 $19.2 billion for
discretionary-funded accounts within the jurisdiction of Agriculture appropriations subcommittees. The request
would be a reduction of $4.1 billion from FY2019 (-18%).
On June 4, 2019, the House Appropriations Committee reported a stand-alone Agriculture appropriations bill
(H.R. 3164, H.Rept. 116-107) by a vote of 29-21. On June 25, 2019, the House passed a five-bill minibus
appropriation with Agriculture as Division B (H.R. 3055). The discretionary total of the House-passed Agriculture
appropriations bill is $24.3 billion. This is $1 billion more (+4%) than the comparable amount that was enacted
for FY2019 and $5.1 more (+27%) than the Administration’s request.
On September 19, the Senate Appropriations Committee reported its Agriculture appropriations bill (S. 2522,
S.Rept. 116-110) by a vote of 31-0. On October 31, 2019, the Senate passed a four-bill minibus appropriation with
Agriculture as Division B (H.R. 3055). The discretionary total of the Senate-passed bill is $23.1 billion. This is
$57 million more than the FY2019 appropriation (+0.2%), $4.2 billion more than the Administration’s request,
and $894 million less than the House-passed bill on a comparable amount without CFTC (-3.7%).
The primary components of the $1 billion increase in the House-passed bill from FY2019 include increases to
rural development accounts by $412 million (+14%, primarily for rural water, broadband, and housing), a rural
broadband pilot program by $393 million (+314%), foreign agricultural assistance by $377 million (+19%),
departmental administration by $205 million (+53%, primarily for construction to renovate USDA headquarters),
agricultural research programming by $197 million (+6%), and FDA appropriations by $185 million (+6%).
Reductions in budget authority include decreases to agricultural research buildings and facilities funding by -$331
million, rescinding WIC carryover balances an additional -$300 million, and eliminating temporary funding for
international food assistance by -$216 million (with a larger increase to the base appropriation, as noted above in
foreign agricultural assistance).
The primary differences that comprise the -$894 million difference in the Senate-reported bill from the House-
passed bill include providing agricultural research $193 million more than in the House bill and department
administration accounts $97 million more than in the House bill. These greater allowances are more than offset by
providing rural development $407 million less than in the House bill (largely from rural water and waste disposal
grants), rural broadband in the General Provisions title $518 million less than in the House bill, foreign
agricultural assistance $159 million less than in the House bill, and FDA $105 million less than the House bill.
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2020 Appropriations

Discretionary Agriculture Appropriations, by Title, FY2019-FY2020

Source: CRS, using P.L. 116-6 (Division B), House-passed H.R. 3055 (Division B), and Senate-passed
H.R. 3055 (Division B).
Note: FDA = Food and Drug Administration, CFTC = Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
For comparability, includes CFTC in Related Agencies in all columns regardless of jurisdiction.
The appropriation also carries mandatory spending that is largely determined in separate authorizing laws. These
mandatory spending amounts total nearly $131 billion in the House-passed bill and $129 billion in the Senate-
reported bill. Thus, the overall total of the FY2020 Agriculture appropriation would be about $155 billion in the
House-passed bill and $152 billion in the Senate-reported bill.
Policy provisions may also be included that affect how the appropriation is delivered. This year, these provisions
include issues such as the relocation of USDA agencies, disaster programs, rural definitions, livestock regulations,
nutrition programs, and dietary guidelines.
Budget sequestration continues to affect mandatory agricultural spending accounts. Sequestration refers to
automatic across-the-board reductions in spending authority. In FY2020, sequestration on mandatory spending
accounts is 5.9% and totals about $1.4 billion for agriculture accounts. Recent budget acts have extended
sequestration through FY2029.
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Status of FY2020 Agriculture Appropriations
In the absence of an enacted full-year appropriation, FY2020 began on October 1, 2019, under a
continuing resolution (P.L. 116-59, Division A) that lasts until November 21, 2019.
For the regular annual Agriculture appropriation, the House passed a five-bill minibus
appropriation on June 25, 2019 (H.R. 3055), and the Senate passed a four-bill minibus on October
31, 2019 (H.R. 3055) from Senate-reported bills as amended on the floor. In both cases, the
Agriculture portion is Division B (Table 1). The Administration released its budget request in two
parts: an overview on March 11, 2019, and more detailed documents on March 18, 2019. See
Figure 1 for a decade-long comparison of timelines and Appendix D for more details.
To set spending levels to develop the bills, an Agriculture subcommittee allocation was
established in the House on May 14, 2019 (H.Rept. 116-59). The Senate waited for an overall
budget agreement before marking up bills. On August 2, 2019, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019
(P.L. 116-37) raised the statutory caps on discretionary spending. A different subcommittee
allocation was set in the Senate on September 12, 2019 (S.Rept. 116-104). A compromise
appropriation is pending, including agreement to set common subcommittee spending levels.
Table 1. Status of FY2020 Agriculture Appropriations
House Action
Senate Action
Administration
Continuing
Final
Request
Subcmte.
Cmte.
Floor
Subcmte.
Cmte.
Floor
Resolution
Appropriation
3/11/2019
5/23/2019
6/4/2019
6/25/2019
9/17/2019 9/19/2019 10/31/2019
9/27//2019
—
OMB Budget
Draft
H.R. 3164 H.R. 3055,
Draft
S. 2522
H.R. 3055,
P.L. 116-59,
3/18/2019
Voice vote
H.Rept.
Division B Voice vote
S.Rept.
Division B
Division A,
OMB Appendix
116-107
Vote
116-110
Vote
until 11/21/2019
USDA
227-194
84-9

FDA
Vote 29-21
Vote 31-0
CFTC
FCA
Source: CRS, compiled from Congress.gov, OMB, and agency websites.
Note: OMB = Office of Management and Budget, USDA = U.S. Department of Agriculture, FDA = Food and
Drug Administration, CFTC = Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and FCA = Farm Credit
Administration.
The discretionary total of the House-passed Agriculture appropriations bill is $24.3 billion. This
is $1 billion more than (+4%) the comparable amount for FY2019 that includes the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)1 and $5.1 billion more than (+27%) the request.
The $23.1 billion discretionary total in the Senate-reported bill would be $57 million more than
(+0.2%) the amount enacted for FY2019. This is $894 million less than (-3.7%) the House-passed
bill on a comparable basis without CFTC.
The appropriation also carries mandatory spending—though that is largely determined in separate
authorizing laws—that totals nearly $131 billion in the House-passed bill and $129 billion in the
Senate-reported bill. Thus, the overall total of the FY2020 Agriculture appropriation would be
about $155 billion in the House bill and $152 billion in the Senate bill (Table 2).

1 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.
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Table 2. Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations, by Title, FY2019-FY2020
Budget authority in millions of dollars

FY2019
FY2020
Change from FY2019
House-
Senate-
Admin.
passed
passed
to House- to Senate-
Title of Agriculture Appropriations Act
P.L. 116-6
request
H.R. 3055 H.R. 3055
Enacted
passed
passed
I. Agricultural Programs: Discretionary
6,033.9
5,712.3
6,165.6
6,439.2
—
+131.6
+405.3
Mandatory
1,374.0
1,404.0
1,404.0
1,404.0
—
+30.0
+30.0
Subtotal
7,407.9
7,116.3
7,569.6
7,843.2
—
+161.6
+435.3
II. Farm Production and Conservation Programs
2,748.8
2,430.6
2,798.0
2,819.9
—
+49.3
+71.1
Mandatory
30,821.1
34,489.6
34,489.6
34,489.6
—
+3,668.5 +3,668.5
Subtotal
33,569.9
36,920.2
37,287.6
37,309.5
—
+3,717.7 +3,739.6
III. Rural Development
3,011.7a
2,938.1
3,423.8a
3,016.7
—
+412.1
+5.0
IV. Domestic Food Programs: Discretionary
6,620.3
5,958.3
6,584.8
6,563.5
—
-35.5
-56.8
Mandatory
96,560.0
93,013.1
95,049.8
92,708.3
—
-1,510.2
-3,851.7
Subtotal
103,180.3
98,971.4
101,634.6
99,271.8
—
-1,545.7
-3,908.5
V. Foreign Assistance
1,938.0a
205.0
2,315.2
2,156.3
—
+377.2
+218.4
VI. Related Agencies:

—

Food and Drug Administration
3,080.5
3,251.3
3,265.7
3,160.5
—
+185.3
+80.0
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
[268.0]b
250.0
315.0
[305.0]b
—
+47.0
+37.0
VII. General Provisions:

—

CHIMPS and rescissionsc
-490.0
-1,153.0
-799.8
-810.1
—
-309.8
-320.1
Other appropriations
493.5
0.0
628.8
141.5
—
+135.3
-352.0
Scorekeeping adjustmentsd
-404.0
-403.0
-398.0
-398.0
—
+6.0
+6.0
Discretionary: Senate basis w/o CFTC
23,032.7
18,939.6
[23,984.0]
23,089.6
—
+951.3
+56.9
Discretionary: House basis w/ CFTC
[23,300.7]
19,189.6
24,299.0
[23,394.6]
—
+998.3
+93.9
Mandatory
128,755.1
128,906.7
130,943.4
128,601.9
—
+2,188.3
-153.2
Total: Senate basis w/o CFTC
151,787.8
147,846.4
154,927.4
151,691.5
—
+3,139.6
-96.4
Total: House basis w/ CFTC
152,055.8
148,096.4
155,242.4
151,996.5
—
+3,186.6
-59.4
Source: CRS, using appropriations text and reports, and unpublished CBO tables.
Notes: Amounts are nominal discretionary budget authority unless labeled otherwise. Excludes amounts in
supplemental appropriations acts. Bracketed amounts are not in the Agriculture appropriations totals due to
differing House-Senate jurisdiction for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
a. Excludes amounts for other appropriations that are provided separately in General Provisions.
b. The amount for CFTC is from the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) division of the
FY2019 Consolidated Appropriation and for FY2020 from the Senate bil for FSGG (S. 2524).
c. Changes in Mandatory Program Spending (CHIMPS) are reductions made to mandatory programs via
appropriations. Rescissions are permanent cancellations of previously provided budget authority.
d. “Scorekeeping adjustments” are not necessarily appropriated but are part of the official CBO accounting.
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2020 Appropriations

Figure 1. Timeline of Action on Agriculture Appropriations, FY2010-FY2020

Source: CRS. For specific dates and links to bil s, see Appendix D.
Other CRS Resources for Agricultural Appropriations
In addition to the agency-level amounts presented in Table 3, the fol owing CRS reports provide more detail and
analysis about various agencies and programs within the Agriculture appropriations act:

CRS Report R46011, FY2020 Appropriations for Agricultural Conservation

CRS Insight IN11168, The CCC Anomaly in an FY2020 Continuing Resolution

CRS Insight IN11132, FY2020 Agriculture Appropriations: H.R. 3164

CRS In Focus IF11245, FY2019 Supplemental Appropriations for Agriculture

CRS Report R45743, USDA Domestic Food Assistance Programs: FY2019 Appropriations

CRS Report R44576, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Budget: Fact Sheet

CRS Report R45413, FY2018 and FY2019 Agriculture Appropriations: Federal Food Safety Activities

CRS Report R45712, FY2018 and FY2019 Agriculture Appropriations: International Food Aid

CRS In Focus IF10953, Agriculture Appropriations: Animal and Plant Health
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Scope of Agriculture Appropriations
The Agriculture appropriations bill—formally known as the Agriculture, Rural Development,
Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act—funds all of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA), excluding the U.S. Forest Service.2 It also funds the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) in the Department of Health and Human Services and, in even-
numbered fiscal years, CFTC.
Jurisdiction is with the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations and their Subcommittees
on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. The
bill includes mandatory and discretionary spending, but the discretionary amounts are the primary
focus (Figure 2). Some programs are not in the authorizing jurisdiction of the House or Senate
Agriculture Committees, such as FDA, WIC, and child nutrition (checkered regions in Figure 2).
The federal budget process treats discretionary and mandatory spending differently:3
 Discretionary spending is controlled by annual appropriations acts and receives
most of the attention during the appropriations process. The annual budget
resolution4 process sets spending limits for discretionary appropriations. Agency
operations (salaries and expenses) and many grant programs are discretionary.
 Mandatory spending5 is carried in the appropriation and usually advanced
unchanged, since it is controlled by budget rules during the authorization
process.6 Spending for so-called entitlement programs is determined in laws such
as the 2018 farm bill7 and 2010 child nutrition reauthorizations.8
In the FY2019 appropriation (P.L. 116-6), the discretionary amount was 15% ($23 billion) of the
$152 billion total. Mandatory spending carried in the act comprised $129 billion, about 85% of
the total, of which about $106 billion is attributable to programs in the 2018 farm bill.
Within the discretionary total, the largest spending items are the Special Supplemental Nutrition
Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); agricultural research; rural development;
FDA; foreign food aid and trade; farm assistance loans and salaries; food safety inspection;
animal and plant health programs; and technical assistance for conservation program.
The main mandatory spending items are the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
and other food and nutrition act programs, child nutrition (school lunch and related programs),
crop insurance, and farm commodity and conservation programs that are funded through USDA’s
Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). SNAP is referred to as an “appropriated entitlement” and
requires an annual appropriation.9 Amounts for the nutrition program are based on projected
spending needs. In contrast, the CCC appropriations reimburse spending from a line of credit.10

2 Although the Forest Service is part of USDA, jurisdiction for its appropriations are in the Interior and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act.
3 See CRS In Focus IF11032, Budgetary Decisionmaking in Congress; and CRS Report R44582, Overview of Funding
Mechanisms in the Federal Budget Process, and Selected Examples.
4 See CRS Report R42388, The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction.
5 Mandatory spending creates funding stability and consistency compared to annual discretionary appropriations. In
agriculture, it originated with farm commodity programs that had uncertain outlays due to weather and markets.
6 See CRS Report 98-560, Baselines and Scorekeeping in the Federal Budget Process.
7 P.L. 115-334 (Agricultural Act of 2018). See CRS Report R45425, Budget Issues That Shaped the 2018 Farm Bill.
8 P.L. 111-296 (Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010). See CRS In Focus IF10266, An Introduction to Child
Nutrition Reauthorization.
9 See CRS Report RS20129, Entitlements and Appropriated Entitlements in the Federal Budget Process.
10 See CRS Report R44606, The Commodity Credit Corporation: In Brief.
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Figure 2. Scope of Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations
FY2019 budget authority in billions of dollars

Source: CRS.
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, incl. Farm Production and
Conservation Business Center; RMA = Risk Management Agency; FSIS = Food Safety and Inspection Service;
APHIS = Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; NRCS = Natural Resources Conservation Service. Does
not show agencies under $0.5 bil ion. Spending in the General Provisions are presented with the agencies.
Key Budget Terms
Budget authority is the main purpose of an appropriations act or a law authorizing mandatory spending. It
provides the legal basis from which to obligate funds. It expires at the end of a period, usually after one year unless
specified otherwise (e.g., two years or indefinite). Most funding amounts in this report are budget authority.
Obligations are contractual agreements between a government agency and its clients or employees. These occur
when an agency agrees to spend money from its budget authority. The Antideficiency Act prohibits agencies from
obligating more budget authority than is provided in law, such as during a government shutdown.
Outlays are the payments (cash disbursements) that satisfy a valid obligation. Timing of outlays may differ from
budget authority or obligations because payments from an agency may not occur until services are fulfil ed, goods
are delivered, or construction is completed, even though an obligation occurred.
Program level represents the sum of the activities undertaken by an agency. A program level may be higher than
a budget authority if the program (1) receives user fees, (2) includes loans that are leveraged by an expectation
of repayment (loan authority may exceed budget authority), or (3) receives transfers from other agencies.
Rescissions are actions that reduce budget authority after enactment. They generally score budgetary savings.
CHIMPS (Changes in Mandatory Program Spending) are adjustments via an appropriations act that can change
available funding for mandatory programs. CHIMPS usually change spending for one year and may score either as
an increase or decrease to outlays. They do not change the underlying authority of the program in law.
For more background, see CRS Report 98-721, Introduction to the Federal Budget Process.
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Recent Trends in Agriculture Appropriations
Discretionary Agriculture appropriations were at an all-time high in FY2010, declined through
FY2013, and have gradually increased since then. Changes within titles have generally been
proportionate to changes in the overall bill, though some areas have sustained relative increases,
such as FDA and rural development.
The stacked bars in Figure 3 represent the discretionary authorization for each appropriations
title. The total of the positive stacked bars is the budget authority in Titles I-VI. In FY2018,
USDA reorganization affected the placement of some programs between Titles I and II of the bill
(most noticeably, the Farm Service Agency). Prior to FY2018, the cumulative appropriation for
the agencies was higher than the official discretionary total in the spending allocation (the blue
line) because of the budgetary offset from negative amounts in Title VII (general provisions) and
other negative scorekeeping adjustments. These negative offsets were mostly due to limits on
mandatory programs and rescissions, which have been used less since FY2018.
Historical trends may be tempered by inflation adjustments, as shown in the dotted line. The
inflation-adjusted total since FY2011 has been nearly level until a slightly higher trend line in the
FY2018 appropriation.
Figure 3. Discretionary Agriculture Appropriations, by Title, FY2010-FY2020

Source: CRS.
Note: For FY2020, Adm is the Trump Administration’s request; Hse is chamber-passed H.R. 3055, Division B;
Sen is Senate-reported S. 2522. For comparability, includes CFTC in Related Agencies in all columns regardless
of jurisdiction. The inflation-adjusted line was calculated using the gross domestic product price deflator.
Amounts printed diagonally correspond to the solid blue line, which is the subcommittee allocation.
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Action on FY2020 Appropriations
Administration’s Budget Request
The Trump Administration released a general overview of its FY2020 budget request on March
11, 2019,11 and a detailed budget proposal to Congress on March 18, 2019.12 USDA released its
more detailed budget summary and justification,13 as did the FDA,14 and the independent agencies
of the CFTC15 and the Farm Credit Administration.16 The Administration also highlighted
separately some of its proposed reductions and eliminations.17
For accounts in the jurisdiction of the Agriculture appropriations bill, the Administration’s budget
requested $19.2 billion, a $4.1 billion reduction from FY2019 (-18%; Table 2, Figure 3). The
Administration released its budget request for FY2020 after Congress had enacted the omnibus
FY2019 appropriation in February 2019 (P.L. 116-6). Amounts in the FY2019 column of the
Administration’s budget documents are based on FY2018 levels, not enacted FY2019 amounts.
Discretionary Budget Caps and Subcommittee Allocations
Budget enforcement has procedural and statutory elements. The procedural elements relate to a
budget resolution and are enforced with points of order. The statutory elements impose
discretionary spending limits and are enforced with budget caps and sequestration.18
Budget Resolution
Typically, each chamber’s Appropriations Committee receives a top-line limit on discretionary
budget authority, referred to as a “302(a)” allocation, from the Budget Committee via an annual
budget resolution. The Appropriations Committees then in turn subdivide the allocation among
their subcommittees, referred to as the “302(b)” allocations.19
For FY2020, the House did not report or pass a budget resolution. The Senate Budget Committee
reported S.Con.Res. 12, though it received no further action.
Budget Caps
The Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA, P.L. 112-25) set discretionary budget caps through
FY2021 as a way of reducing federal spending.20 Sequestration is an across-the-board backstop to
achieve budget reductions if spending exceeds the budget caps (2 U.S.C. §901(c)).21

11 Office of Management and Budget (OMB), A Budget for a Better America: President’s Budget FY 2020.
12 OMB, FY2020 Budget of the U.S. Government, Appendix.
13 USDA, FY2020 USDA Budget Summary; and USDA, FY2020 Budget Explanatory Notes.
14 FDA, FY2020 Justification of Estimates for Appropriations.
15 CFTC, FY2020 President’s Budget Request.
16 Farm Credit Administration, FY2020 Proposed Budget and Performance Plan.
17 OMB, FY2020 Budget of the U.S. Government, Major Savings and Reforms.
18 CRS Report R42388, The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction.
19 References to 302(a) and 302(b) are to sections of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
20 CRS Report R44874, The Budget Control Act: Frequently Asked Questions.
21 CRS Report R42972, Sequestration as a Budget Enforcement Process: Frequently Asked Questions.
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Bipartisan Budget Acts (BBAs) have avoided sequestration on discretionary spending—with the
exception of FY2013—by raising those caps four times in two-year increments in 2013, 2015,
2018, and 2019 (Figure 4).22 Most recently, the BBA of 2019 (P.L. 116-37) raised the cap on
nondefense discretionary spending by $78 billion for FY2020 (to $621 billion) and by $72 billion
for FY2021 (to $627 billion). The amount for FY2020 is 4.1% greater than the nondefense cap in
FY2019. The BBA also provides language to execute (or “deem”) those higher caps for the
appropriations process without a budget resolution.23
Figure 4. BCA Discretionary Limits, FY2014-FY2021
Budget authority in billions of nominal dollars

Source: CRS Insight IN11148, The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019: Changes to the BCA and Debt Limit.
Discretionary Spending Allocations
In the absence of a budget resolution and before the BBA that occurred in August, the House
Appropriations Committee on May 14, 2019, set an overall discretionary target and provided the
subcommittees with 302(b) allocations (H.Rept. 116-59). The allocation for the House
Agriculture appropriations subcommittee is $24.3 billion, $1 billion greater (+4.3%) than the
comparable amount for the enacted FY2019 Agriculture appropriation (Table 2).
The Senate chose to wait for the overall budget agreement in the BBA of 2019 before setting
subcommittee allocations or proceeding to mark up any appropriations bills for FY2020. On
September 12, 2019, the Senate Appropriations Committee set its subcommittee allocations
(S.Rept. 116-104). The allocation for the Agriculture appropriation subcommittee in the Senate is
$23.1 billion, $0.1 billion greater (+0.3%) than the enacted FY2019 appropriation.
Without Congress having agreed on a joint budget resolution, subcommittee allocations are
different between the chambers and eventually need to be reconciled.
Budget Sequestration
Despite the BBA agreements that raise discretionary spending caps and avoid sequestration on
discretionary accounts, sequestration still applies to mandatory spending. Sequestration on
mandatory accounts began in FY2013, continues to the present, and has been extended beyond

22 CRS Insight IN11090, Increasing the BCA Spending Limits: Characteristics of Previously Enacted Legislation.
23 CRS Insight IN11148, The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019: Changes to the BCA and Debt Limit.
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the original FY2021 sunset of the BCA. The various BBAs continue sequestration on mandatory
spending through FY2029. See Appendix A for more on budget sequestration and its effects on
agriculture spending.
House Action
The House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee marked up its FY2020 bill on May 23,
2019, by voice vote.24 On June 4, 2019, the full Appropriations Committee passed and reported an
amended bill (H.R. 3164, H.Rept. 116-107) by a vote of 29-21. The committee adopted four
amendments by voice vote.25
On June 25, 2019, the House passed a five-bill minibus appropriation (H.R. 3055) with the
Agriculture bill as Division B (Table 1, Figure 1). Under a structured rule,26 the Rules
Committee allowed 35 amendments for floor debate (H.Res. 445, H.Rept. 116-119). The House
considered 33 of those amendments, of which 31 were adopted and two were rejected. Of the 31
amendments that were adopted, 28 were adopted en bloc by voice vote, two were adopted by
recorded votes, and another was adopted separately by voice vote. Of the 31 amendments that
were adopted, 14 revised funding amounts with offsets,27 three added policy statements, and 14
made no substantive changes but were for the purposes of discussion.
The $24.3 billion discretionary total in the House-passed FY2020 Agriculture appropriation
would be $1 billion more than (+4%) the comparable amount enacted for FY2019 that includes
the CFTC (Table 2, Figure 3). Generally speaking, the House-passed bill does not include most
of the reductions proposed by the Administration.
Comparison of Discretionary Authority: House-Passed Bill to FY2019
Table 3 provides details of the House-passed bill at the agency level. The primary changes from
FY2019 that comprise the $1 billion increase, ranked by increases and decreases, include:
 Increase Rural Development accounts by $412 million (+14%), including a $144
million increase for the Rural Housing Service (+9%) and a $238 million
increase for the Rural Utilities Service (+38%) to support rural water and waste
disposal and rural broadband. In addition, the General Provisions title includes a
$393 million increase for a rural broadband pilot program (+314%).
 Increase foreign agricultural assistance by $377 million (+19%), including
increasing Food for Peace humanitarian assistance by $350 million and
McGovern-Dole Food for Education by $25 million. In FY2019, Food for Peace
had received a temporary increase of $216 million in the General Provisions title.

24 See the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee website for the bill draft and report draft.
25 House Appropriations Committee, “FY2020 Full Committee Adopted Amendments,” June 4, 2019.
26 CRS Report R42933, Regular Appropriations Bills: Terms of Initial Consideration and Amendment in the House,
FY1996-FY2015.
27 These 14 amendments added $109 million spread across rural broadband, distance learning and telemedicine, dairy
innovation, 1890s institutions, geographically disadvantaged farmers, nutrition initiatives, farm-to-school, rural energy,
and opioid abuse. They remained budget neutral by reducing (offsetting) seven mostly administrative accounts by $110
million, including the Chief Information Officer (-$52 million), Office of General Counsel (-$30 million),
Departmental Administration (-$21 million), Office of Communications (-$3.6 million), Office of the Secretary (-$1
million), Agricultural Marketing Service (-$1 million), and Agriculture Buildings and Facilities (-$1 million). These
reductions were about 98% of the committee-proposed amount for the Departmental Administration, 73% of the Office
of General Counsel, and 52% of the Chief Information Officer. See Table A-1.
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2020 Appropriations

The larger FY2020 amount would be to the program’s base appropriation rather
than the FY2019 approach that used the General Provisions.
 Increase related agencies appropriations by $232 million, including raising FDA
appropriations by $185 million (+6%) and the CFTC by $47 million (+18%).
 Increase other agricultural program appropriations by $151 million, including:
 Increase departmental administration accounts by a net $205 million (+53%),
including funding most of the Administration’s request for a $271 million
increase for construction to renovate USDA headquarters.
 Increase USDA regulatory programs by $56 million, including increasing the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service by $23 million (+2%) and the
Agricultural Marketing Service by $33 million (+20%).
 Decrease agricultural research by a net $134 million (-4%), mostly through
smaller appropriations for construction. Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
construction would be reduced by $331 million from FY2019 (-87%), while
salaries and expenses would increase for ARS (+$44 million, +3%) and the
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) (+$146 million, +10%).
 Some of these increases are offset by a net change of -$175 million in budget
authority that is accomplished through the General Provisions title. This is mostly
a combination of greater rescissions of carryover balances in WIC (-$300
million) and the absence of continuing the FY2019 appropriations in the General
Provisions for Food for Peace (-$216 million, as mentioned above) and rural
water and waste disposal (-$75 million). The General Provisions provide
increases in funding for rural broadband (+$393 million, as mentioned above)
and several appropriations for miscellaneous programs (+$33 million).
Comparison of Mandatory Spending: House-Passed Bill to FY2019
In addition to discretionary spending, the House-passed bill also carries mandatory spending—
largely determined in separate authorizing laws—that totals $131 billion. This is about $2 billion
more than in FY2019 often because of automatic changes from economic conditions and
expectations about enrollment in entitlement programs. Reimbursement for the CCC would
increase by $10 billion, mostly due to the cost of the Trump Administration’s trade aid assistance
that was announced in 2018.28 Child nutrition programs would increase by $0.9 billion. Crop
insurance spending would decrease by $6.4 billion, and SNAP spending decreases by about $2.4
billion.
CHIMPS from the 2018 farm bill are incorporated in these spending levels and were subject to
budgetary enforcement at enactment of the 2018 farm bill.29
Senate Action
The Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee marked up its FY2020 bill on September
17, 2019. On September 19, 2019, the full Appropriations Committee passed and reported an

28 See CRS Report R45310, Farm Policy: USDA’s 2018 Trade Aid Package. Most of the trade aid announced in 2019
(see CRS Report R45865, Farm Policy: USDA’s 2019 Trade Aid Package) is likely to be paid out (outlays) in FY2020
and reimbursed in the FY2021 appropriation after those payments are incorporated into CCC’s net realized losses.
29 See CRS Report R45425, Budget Issues That Shaped the 2018 Farm Bill.
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amended bill (S. 2522, S.Rept. 116-110) by a vote of 31-0. The committee adopted a manager’s
amendment with three additions to bill text and 19 additions to report language.30
On October 31, 2019, the Senate passed a four-bill minibus appropriation (H.R. 3055, after
adopting S.Amdt. 948 in the nature of a substitute, which was comprised of four Senate-reported
bills and amended by floor amendments). The Agriculture bill is Division B (Table 1, Figure 1).
The Senate adopted 16 amendments to Division B, of which 14 were adopted en bloc by
unanimous consent and two were adopted by recorded votes. Of these 16 amendments, eight
revised funding amounts with offsets,31 three revised funding amounts within an existing
appropriation, three changed the terms of an appropriation, and two required reports or studies.
The $23.1 billion discretionary total in the Senate-reported FY2020 Agriculture appropriation
would be $57 million more than (+0.2%) the amount enacted for FY2019 (Table 2, Figure 3).
The Senate bill is $894 million less than (-3.7%) the House-passed bill on a comparable basis
without CFTC. Generally speaking, the Senate-reported bill does not include most of the
reductions proposed by the Administration. Table 3 provides details of the Senate-reported bill at
the agency level.
Comparison of Discretionary Authority: Senate-Passed Bill to FY2019
Compared to FY2019 and ranked by increases and decreases, the primary changes that comprise
the $57 million overall increase are the following:
 Increase USDA departmental administration accounts by a net $302 million
(+77%), including a requested $271 million increase to renovate USDA
headquarters and a $46 million increase for the Chief Information Officer.
 Increase foreign agricultural assistance by $218 million (+11%), mostly by
incorporating $216 million into the base appropriation of Food for Peace that had
been a temporary increase in the FY2019 General Provisions title.
 Increase other appropriations by $184 million, including:
 Increase FDA appropriations by $80 million (+3%).
 Increase agricultural research by a net $60 million (+1.7%). ARS salaries and
expenses would increase by $121 million from FY2019 (+9%) and NIFA by
$13 million (+1%). The amount for ARS buildings and facilities would
decline by $76 million (-20%).
 Increase USDA regulatory programs by $39 million, including increasing the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service by $17 million (+2%) and the
Agricultural Marketing Service by $22 million (+14%).
 Maintain Rural Development funding (+$5 million, +0.2%) by offsetting a
$73 million increase for the Rural Housing Service (+5%) with reductions to
the Rural Utilities Service (-$62 million, -10%) and the Rural Business

30 Senate Appropriations Committee, “FY2020 Agriculture Manager’s Package,” September 19, 2019.
31 These eight amendments added $25 million spread across food insecurity, urban agriculture, equine encephalitis, pet
shelter and housing, distance learning and telemedicine, tribal student scholarships, 1890s institutions, and the farm and
ranch stress network. They remained budget neutral by reducing (offsetting) three administrative accounts by $26
million, including Agriculture Buildings and Facilities (-$14 million), Chief Financial Officer (-$6 million), and
Departmental Administration (-$6 million). These reductions were about 44% of the committee-proposed amount for
the Departmental Administration and 27% of the Chief Financial Officer (Table A-1).
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2020 Appropriations

Cooperative Service ($12 million, -12%). The General Provisions title does
not continue any funding for a rural broadband pilot program.
 Most of these increases are offset by a net change of -$672 million in budget
authority that is accomplished through the General Provisions title. This is mostly
a combination of greater rescissions of carryover balances in WIC (-$300
million) and the absence of continuing the FY2019 appropriations in the General
Provisions for Food for Peace (-$216 million, as mentioned above), rural
broadband (-$125 million, as mentioned above), and rural water and waste
disposal (-$75 million). The General Provisions title increases appropriations for
several miscellaneous programs (+$64 million).
Comparison of Discretionary Authority: Senate-Passed to House-Passed Bill
Compared to the House-passed bill and ranked by increases and decreases, the primary changes
in the Senate-reported bill that comprise the -$894 million difference from the House bill include:
 Agricultural research would be $193 million greater in the Senate-reported bill
than in the House-passed bill. ARS buildings and facilities would be $255 million
greater than in the House-passed bill, ARS salaries and expenses $77 million
greater, and NIFA $132 million less.
 Departmental administration accounts would be $97 million greater in the Senate
bill than in the House bill, mostly by maintaining appropriations for the Chief
Information Officer, General Counsel, and Departmental Administration that
were reduced as offsets to pay for floor amendments that were adopted in the
House bill.
 Rural Development would be $407 million less in the Senate-reported bill than in
the House-passed bill, mostly by a $300 million less for the Rural Utilities
Service ($233 million less for rural water and waste disposal grants, $41 million
less for distance learning and telemedicine, and $25 million less for existing non-
pilot rural broadband programs), $70 million less for Rural Housing Service, and
$22 million less for the Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
 In addition, for a separate rural broadband pilot account, the General Provisions
title in the Senate-reported bill does not provide for any of the $518 million that
the House bill would provide.
 Foreign agricultural assistance would be $159 million less in the Senate bill than
in the House bill, mostly by not increasing Food for Peace as much as in the
House bill, and maintaining the McGovern-Dole program at a constant level.
 FDA appropriations would be $105 million less in the Senate-reported bill than in
the House-passed bill.
Comparison of Mandatory Spending: Senate-Passed to House-Passed Bill
In addition to discretionary spending, the Senate-reported bill also carries mandatory spending—
largely determined in separate authorizing laws—that totals $129 billion. This is $153 million
less than in FY2019 and $2.3 billion less than in the House-passed bill. Compared to the House-
passed bill, amounts for CCC and crop insurance are the same. Mandatory amounts for the child
nutrition programs are about $400 million less than the House bill, and the amount for SNAP is
about $1.9 billion less than in the House bill.
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Continuing Resolutions
In the absence of a final Agriculture appropriation at the beginning of FY2020 on October 1,
2019, Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) to continue operations and prevent a
government shutdown (P.L. 116-59, Division A).32 The CR lasts nearly eight weeks until
November 21, 2019.
In general, a CR continues the funding rates and conditions that were in the previous year’s
appropriation.33 The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) may prorate funding to the
agencies on an annualized basis for the duration of the CR through a process known as
apportionment.34 For the first 52 days (14%) of FY2020 through November 21, 2019, the CR:
 Continues the terms of the FY2019 Agriculture appropriations act (§101) with a
proviso for rural development in the anomalies below.
 Provides sufficient funding to maintain mandatory program levels, including for
nutrition programs (§111).35 This is similar to the approach taken in recent years.
CRs may adjust prior-year amounts through anomalies or make specific administrative changes.
Five anomalies apply specifically to the Agriculture appropriation during this CR:
 Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program (§101(1)). Allows the CR to cover
the cost of direct loans in addition to loan guarantees and grants. In FY2019,
direct loans did not require appropriation because they had a negative subsidy
rate (i.e., fees and repayments more than covered the cost of loan making). In
FY2020, OMB estimates a need for a positive subsidy rate.
 Disaster Assistance for Sugar Beet Processors (§116). Amends the list of
eligible losses that may be covered under the Additional Supplemental
Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of FY2019 (P.L. 116-20, Title I) to include
payments to cooperative processors for reduced sugar beet quantity and quality.
The FY2019 supplemental provided $3 billion to cover agricultural production
losses in 2018 and 2019 from natural disasters.36
 Agricultural Research (§117). Allows USDA to waive the non-federal matching
funds requirement for grants made under the Specialty Crop Research Initiative
(7 U.S.C. §7632(g)(3)). The requirement was added in the 2018 farm bill.
 Summer Food for Children Demonstration Projects (§118). Allocates funding
for the Food and Nutrition Service summer food for children demonstration
projects at a rate so that projects can fully operate by May 2020 (prior to summer
service, which typically starts in June). Similar provisions have been part of

32 CRS Report R45982, Overview of Continuing Appropriations for FY2020 (P.L. 116-59).
33 CRS Report R42647, Continuing Resolutions: Overview of Components and Practices.
34 For example, if a CR lasts for three months, then three-twelfths of the previous fiscal year amount may be
apportioned to limit agency spending. See OMB, “Apportionment of the Continuing Resolution(s) for Fiscal Year
2020,” September 30, 2019, See also CRS Report RL34700, Interim Continuing Resolutions (CRs): Potential Impacts
on Agency Operations.
35 The OMB bulletin about CRs (footnote 34) identifies the scope of mandatory programs included in Section 111 by
referencing the conference report for the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (H.Rept. 105-217). For Agriculture
appropriations, these include SNAP, child nutrition, CCC, crop insurance, Section 32, and the dairy indemnity
program.
36 For more information, see CRS In Focus IF11245, FY2019 Supplemental Appropriations for Agriculture.
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2020 Appropriations

previous CRs. These projects, which include the Summer Electronic Benefit
Transfer (EBT) demonstration, have operated in selected states since FY2010.37
 CCC (§119). Allows CCC to receive its appropriation about a month earlier than
usual to reimburse the Treasury for a line of credit, prior to a customary final
report and audit.38 Many payments to farmers are due in October 2019, including
USDA’s plan to make supplemental payments under its trade assistance
program.39 Without the anomaly, CCC might have exhausted its $30 billion line
of credit in October or November before the audit is completed, which could
suspend payments. This provision was part of a CR in FY2019. In addition, the
FY2020 CR requires USDA to submit a report to Congress by October 31, 2019,
with various disaggregated details about Market Facilitation Program payments,
trade damages, and whether commodities were purchased from foreign-owned
companies under the program.
 Hemp (§120). Provides $16.5 million on an annualized basis to the USDA
Agricultural Marketing Service to implement the Hemp Production Program
(P.L. 115-334, §10113), which was created in the 2018 farm bill.40

37 For more information, see CRS Report R45486, Child Nutrition Programs: Current Issues.
38 For more information, see CRS Insight IN11168, The CCC Anomaly in an FY2020 Continuing Resolution.
39 For more information, see CRS Report R45865, Farm Policy: USDA’s 2019 Trade Aid Package.
40 For more information, see CRS In Focus IF11088, 2018 Farm Bill Primer: Hemp Cultivation and Processing.
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Table 3. Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations, by Agency, FY2017-FY2020
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020
Change from FY2019

P.L. 115-
P.L. 115-
Admin.
House
Senate
to House-
to Senate-
Agency or major program
31
141
P.L. 116-6
request
H.R. 3055
H.R. 3055
Enacted
passed
passed
Title I. Agricultural Programs

Departmental Administration (Table A-1)
403.9
396.0
390.4
695.1
595.3
691.9
—
+205.0
+301.6
Research, Education and Economics

Agricultural Research Service
1,269.8
1,343.4
1,684.5
1,253.5
1,397.5
1,729.8
—
-287.0
+45.3
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
1,362.9
1,407.8
1,471.3
1,391.7
1,617.1
1,484.7
—
+145.8
+13.4
National Agricultural Statistics Service
171.2
191.7
174.5
163.0
180.8
175.3
—
+6.3
+0.8
Economic Research Service
86.8
86.8
86.8
60.5
87.8
86.8
—
+1.0
+0.0
Under Secretary
0.9
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
—
+0.0
+0.0
Marketing and Regulatory Programs

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
949.4
985.1
1,014.3
984.6
1,037.2
1,031.1
—
+22.9
+16.8
Agricultural Marketing Servicea
86.2
152.8
160.3
116.3
193.1
182.8
—
+32.8
+22.5
Section 32 (M)
1,322.0
1,344.0
1,374.0
1,404.0
1,404.0
1,404.0
—
+30.0
+30.0
Grain Inspection, Packers, Stockyards Admin.a
43.5 moved into Agricultural Marketing Servicea
Under Secretary
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.8
0.8
0.9
—
-0.1
+0.0
Food Safety

Food Safety and Inspection Service
1,032.1
1,056.8
1,049.3
1,045.3
1,054.3
1,054.3
—
+5.0
+5.0
Under Secretary
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
—
+0.0
+0.0
Farm and Commodity Programsa

Farm Service Agencyb
1,624.0 moved to Title II: Farm Production and Conservationa
FSA Farm Loans: Loan Authorityc
8,002.6 moved to Title II: Farm Production and Conservationa
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FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020
Change from FY2019

P.L. 115-
P.L. 115-
Admin.
House
Senate
to House-
to Senate-
Agency or major program
31
141
P.L. 116-6
request
H.R. 3055
H.R. 3055
Enacted
passed
passed
Risk Management Agency
74.8 moved to Title II: Farm Production and Conservationa
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (M)
8,667.0 moved to Title II: Farm Production and Conservationa
Commodity Credit Corporation (M)
21,290.7 moved to Title II: Farm Production and Conservationa
Under Secretary
0.9 moved to Title II: Farm Production and Conservationa
Subtotal, Title I

Discretionary
7,107.7
5,622.8
6,033.9
5,712.3
6,165.6
6,439.2
—
+131.6
+405.3
Mandatory (M)
31,280.2
1,344.0
1,374.0
1,404.0
1,404.0
1,404.0
—
+30.0
+30.0
Subtotal
38,387.9
6,966.8
7,407.9
7,116.3
7,569.6
7,843.2
—
+161.6
+435.3
Title II. Farm Production and Conservationa

Business Center
—
1.0
216.4
206.5
206.5
206.5
—
-9.8
-9.8
Farm Service Agencyb
—a
1,625.2
1,494.2
1,412.7
1,536.1
1,544.4
—
+41.9
+50.2
FSA Farm Loans: Loan Authorityc
—a
8,005.6
7,987.7
7,674.3
7,997.8
8,037.8
—
+10.1
+50.1
Risk Management Agency
—a
74.8
58.4
56.0
58.4
58.4
—
+0.0
+0.0
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (M)
—a
8,913.0
15,410.6
8,936.0
8,936.0
8,936.0
—
-6,474.6
-6,474.6
Commodity Credit Corporation (M)
—a
14,284.8
15,410.0
25,553.1
25,553.1
25,553.1
—
+10,143.1
+10,143.1
Conservation Operations
864.5
874.1
819.5
755.0
829.6
835.2
—
+10.1
+15.7
Watershed and Flood Prevention
150.0
150.0
150.0
—
155.0
175.0
—
+5.0
+25.0
Watershed Rehabilitation Program
12.0
10.0
10.0
—
12.0
—
—
+2.0
-10.0
Under Secretary
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
—
+0.0
+0.0
Subtotal, Title II

Discretionary
1,027.4
2,735.6
2,748.8
2,430.6
2,798.0
2,819.9
—
+49.3
+71.1
Mandatory (M)
—a
23,198.3
30,821.1
34,489.6
34,489.6
34,489.6
—
+3,668.5
+3,668.5
Subtotal
—a
25,933.9
33,569.9
36,920.2
37,287.6
37,309.5
—
+3,717.7
+3,739.6
CRS-16

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FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020
Change from FY2019

P.L. 115-
P.L. 115-
Admin.
House
Senate
to House-
to Senate-
Agency or major program
31
141
P.L. 116-6
request
H.R. 3055
H.R. 3055
Enacted
passed
passed
Title III. Rural Development

Salaries and Expenses (including transfers)d
675.8
680.8
686.8
622.2
705.8
692.0
—
+19.0
+5.2
Rural Housing Service
1,654.9
1,582.4
1,606.0
1,467.0
1,749.7
1,678.8
—
+143.7
+72.8
RHS Loan Authorityc
28,083.4
28,390.1
28,293.8
27,260.0
28,423.0
28,645.5
—
+129.2
+351.7
Rural Business-Cooperative Servicee
97.7
109.5
98.6
27.5
109.3
87.0
—
+10.7
-11.6
RBCS Loan Authorityc
988.4
991.2
1,026.4
1,000.0
1,288.9
1,038.9
—
+262.5
+12.5
Rural Utilities Service
639.9
628.1f
620.2f
821.3
858.1f
558.1
—
+237.9
-62.1
RUS Loan Authorityc
8,217.0
8,219.9
8,419.9
7,390.0
8,419.9
8,419.9
—
+0.0
+0.0
Under Secretaryg
0.9
temporarily moved to Dept. Admin.g
0.8
0.8
—
+0.0
+0.0
Subtotal, Title III
3,069.2
3,000.9f
3,011.7f
3,016.7
3,423.8f
3,016.7
—
+412.1
+5.0
Subtotal, RD Loan Authorityc
37,288.9
37,601.2
37,740.0
38,104.2
38,131.7
38,104.2
—
+391.7
+364.2
Title IV. Domestic Food Programs

Child Nutrition Programs (M)
22,794.0
24,254.1
23,140.8
23,943.2
24,041.6
23,602.6
—
+900.8
+461.8
WIC Program
6,350.0
6,175.0
6,075.0
5,750.0
6,000.0
6,000.0
—
-75.0
-75.0
SNAP, Food and Nutrition Act Programs (M)
78,480.7
74,013.5
73,476.9
69,069.9
71,093.9
69,163.3
—
-2,383.0
-4,313.6
Commodity Assistance Programs
315.1
322.1
322.1
55.5
344.2
344.2
—
+22.1
+22.1
Nutrition Programs Administration
170.7
153.8
164.7
152.0
154.0
160.9
—
-10.6
-3.8
Under Secretary
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
—
+0.0
+0.0
Subtotal, Title IV

Discretionary
6,884.7
6,709.8
6,620.3
5,958.3
6,584.8
6,563.5
—
-35.5
-56.8
Mandatory (M)
101,226.7
98,209.6
96,560.0
93,013.1
95,049.8
92,708.3
—
-1,510.2
-3,851.7
Subtotal
108,111.3
104,919.4
103,180.3
98,971.4
101,634.6
99,271.8
—
-1,545.7
-3,908.5
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FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020
Change from FY2019

P.L. 115-
P.L. 115-
Admin.
House
Senate
to House-
to Senate-
Agency or major program
31
141
P.L. 116-6
request
H.R. 3055
H.R. 3055
Enacted
passed
passed
Title V. Foreign Assistance

Foreign Agricultural Service
196.6
199.7
213.9
192.8
215.5
217.9
—
+1.6
+4.0
Food for Peace Title II, and admin. expenses
1,466.1f
1,600.1f
1,500.1f
0.1
1,850.1
1,716.1
—
+350.0
+216.0
McGovern-Dole Food for Education
201.6
207.6
210.3
0.0
235.0
210.3
—
+24.7
+0.0
CCC Export Loan Salaries
8.5
8.8
8.8
6.4
8.8
6.4
—
+0.0
-2.5
Office of Codex Alimentarius
—
3.8
4.0
4.8
4.8
4.8
—
+0.8
+0.8
Under Secretary
—
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
—
+0.0
+0.0
Subtotal, Title V
1,872.9
2,021.0
1,938.0
205.0
2,315.2
2,156.3
—
+377.2
+218.4
Title VI. Related Agencies

Food and Drug Administration
2,771.2
2,811.9
3,080.5
3,251.3
3,265.7
3,160.5
—
+185.3
+80.0
Commodity Futures Trading Commissionh
[250.0]i
249.0
[268.0]i
250.0
315.0
[305.0]i
—
+47.0
+37.0
Subtotal, Title VI
[3,021.2]
3,060.9
[3,348.5]
3,501.3
3,580.7
[3,465.5]
—
+232.3
+117.0
Title VII. General Provisions

Changes in Mandatory Programs (CHIMPS)j

a. Conservation programs
-235.0
[-0.1]k
[-60.2]k
-60.2
-60.2
-60.2
—
+0.0
+0.0
b. Nutrition programs
-106.0
+5.0
+5.0
—
+6.0
+5.0
—
+1.0
+0.0
c. Energy programs
-40.0
-21.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
d. Rural Development (Cushion of Credit)
-132.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
e. Section 32
-231.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
f. Farm Production & Conservation Bus. Ctr.
—
[+0.1]k
[+60.2]k
+60.2
+60.2
+60.2
—
+0.0
+0.0
g. Other CHIMPS and mandatory rescissions
—
+15.0
+10.0
—
—
—
—
-10.0
-10.0
Subtotal, CHIMPS (Table B-1)
-744.0
-1.0
+15.0
+0.0
+6.0
+5.0
—
-9.0
-10.0
Rescissions (discretionary)l (Table B-2)
-854.0
-800.0
-505.0
-1,153.0
-805.8
-815.1
—
-300.8
-310.1
CRS-18

link to page 34 link to page 25 link to page 37 link to page 25 link to page 25
FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020
Change from FY2019

P.L. 115-
P.L. 115-
Admin.
House
Senate
to House-
to Senate-
Agency or major program
31
141
P.L. 116-6
request
H.R. 3055
H.R. 3055
Enacted
passed
passed
Other appropriations (Table B-3)

a. Disaster/emergency programs
234.8
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
b. Water and Waste Water
—
500.0
75.0
—
—
—
—
-75.0
-75.0
c. Broadband pilot
—
600.0
125.0
—
518.0
—
—
+393.0
-125.0
d. Opioid Enforcement and Surveil ance
—
94.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
e. Food for Peace
134.0
116.0
216.0
—
—
—
—
-216.0
-216.0
f. Other appropriations
103.4
68.1
77.5
—
110.8
141.5
—
+33.3
+64.0
Subtotal, Other appropriations
472.2
1,378.1
493.5
—
628.8
141.5
—
+135.3
-352.0
Subtotal, Title VII
-1,125.8
577.1
3.5
-1,153.0
-171.0
-668.6
—
-174.5
-672.1
Scorekeeping Adjustmentsm (Table B-4)

Disaster declaration in this bil
-206.1
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Other scorekeeping adjustments
-524.0
-481.0
-404.0
-403.0
-398.0
-398.0
—
+6.0
+6.0
Subtotal, Scorekeeping adjustments
-730.1
-481.0
-404.0
-403.0
-398.0
-398.0
—
+6.0
+6.0
Totals

Discretionary: Senate basis w/o CFTCh
20,877.0 [22,998.0]
23,032.7
18,939.6 [23,984.0]
23,089.6
—
+951.3
+56.9
Discretionary: House basis w/ CFTCh
[21,127.0]
23,247.0 [23,300.7]
19,189.6
24,299.0 [23,394.6]
—
+998.3
+93.9
Mandatory (M)
132,506.9
122,752.0
128,755.1
128,906.7
130,943.4
128,601.9
—
+2,188.3
-153.2
Total: Senate basis w/o CFTC
153,383.9 [145,750.0]
151,787.8
147,846.4 [154,927.4]
151,691.5
—
+3,139.6
-96.4
Total: House basis w/ CFTC
[153,633.9]
145,999.0 [152,055.8]
148,096.4
155,242.4
151,996.5
—
+3,186.6
-59.4
Source: CRS, using appropriations text, report tables, and unpublished CBO tables. For FY2020, House-passed and Senate-passed are H.R. 3055 (Division B).
Notes: Amounts are nominal discretionary budget authority in mil ions of dol ars unless labeled otherwise. “(M)” indicates that the account is mandatory authority (or
primarily mandatory authority). Excludes amounts in supplemental appropriations acts. Bracketed amounts are not in the Agriculture appropriations totals due to
differing House-Senate jurisdiction for CFTC but are shown for comparison.
CRS-19

link to page 32 link to page 34
a. Row headings reflect recent USDA reorganization. The Farm Service Agency and Risk Management Agency were moved from Title I to Title II, as was the
Commodity Credit Corporation and Federal Crop Insurance Corporation in mandatory spending. Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration was
moved into the Agricultural Marketing Service.
b. 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.
c. Loan authority is the amount of loans that can be made or guaranteed with a loan subsidy. This amount is not added in the budget authority subtotals or totals.
d. Rural Development salaries and expenses include a base amount plus transfers from the three rural development agencies. Amounts presented for the agencies
therefore include program funds for loans and grants.
e. Amounts for the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS) are before the rescission in the Cushion of Credit account, which is different than the Appropriations
Committee tables. The rescission is included with the CHIMPS as classified by CBO, which allows the RBCS subtotal to remain positive (Table B-1).
f.
Excludes a portion of the other appropriations that are provided separately in General Provisions (see Table B-3).
g. The USDA-initiated reorganization in 2017 created an “Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development” as part of the Office of the Secretary rather than the
previously Senate-confirmed undersecretary position. The 2018 farm bil reinstated the undersecretary position.
h. Jurisdiction for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is in the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee and the Senate Financial Services
Appropriations Subcommittee. After FY2008, CFTC is carried in the enacted Agriculture appropriations in even-numbered fiscal years. It is always carried in House
Agriculture subcommittee markup but never in Senate Agriculture subcommittee markup. Bracketed amounts are not in the Agriculture appropriations totals due
to differing House-Senate jurisdiction for CFTC but are shown for comparison.
i.
The amount for CFTC in FY2017 and FY2019 is from the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) division of the Consolidated Appropriation and for
FY2020 from the Senate bil for FSGG (S. 2524).
j.
Includes reductions (limitations and rescissions) and increases to mandatory programs that are known as CHIMPS.
k. These bracketed amounts were not in the official CBO scoring of CHIMPS. Appropriations acts in FY2018 and FY2019 transferred mandatory conservation funding
into the Farm Production and Conservation Business Center, but the official CBO scoring of appropriations at that time did not record it as a CHIMP the way that
the FY2020 scoring reflects. For more background, see CRS Report R45406, FY2018 and FY2019 Appropriations for Agricultural Conservation.
l.
Rescissions are actions that reduce a budget authority subsequent to an enacted appropriation. They score budgetary savings. Any rescissions from mandatory
programs are included with the CHIMPS.
m. “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 bil . They predominantly include “negative subsidies” in loan program accounts (mostly from receipt of fees) and adjustments for disaster
designations in the bil .

CRS-20

link to page 26 link to page 26 link to page 29 link to page 29 link to page 29 Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2020 Appropriations

Policy-Related Provisions
Appropriations bills have also been a vehicle for policy-related provisions that direct how the
executive branch should carry out an appropriation. These provisions may have the force of law if
they are included in the text of the appropriation, but their effect is generally limited to the current
fiscal year unless they amend the U.S. Code. Table 4 compares some of the primary policy
provisions that are included in the FY2020 Agriculture appropriations bills.
In addition to the text of an appropriations act, report language may also provide policy
instructions. Although report language does not carry the force of text in an act, it often explains
congressional intent, which the agencies may be expected to follow. Statements in the committee
reports that accompany the committee-reported versions of the FY2020 bills (H.Rept. 116-107 for
H.R. 3164, and S.Rept. 116-110 for S. 2522) are not included in Table 4.
In the past, Congress has said that committee and conference reports need to be read together to
capture all of the congressional intent for a fiscal year. For example, the FY2019 explanatory
statement for the consolidated appropriations act instructs that the House and Senate reports
should be read together with the conference agreement:
Congressional Directives. The explanatory statement is silent on provisions that were in
both the House Report (H.Rept. 115-706) and Senate Report (S.Rept. 115-259) that remain
unchanged by this conference agreement, except as noted in this explanatory statement.
The conference agreement restates that executive branch wishes cannot substitute for
Congress’s own statements as to the best evidence of congressional intentions, which are
the official reports of the Congress…. The House and Senate report language that is not
changed by the explanatory statement is approved and indicates congressional intentions.
The explanatory statement, while repeating some report language for emphasis, does not
intend to negate the language referred to above unless expressly provided herein.41
Table 4. Selected Policy Provisions Considered in FY2020 Agriculture Appropriations
House-passed H.R. 3055, Division B
Senate-passed H.R. 3055, Division B
Enacted
Relocation and restructuring

Economic Research Service (ERS). Appropriation
No comparable provision in Title I.
—
states that “necessary expenses” do not provide funds
Provides $15.5 mil ion for relocation. (§762)
to relocate the ERS outside the National Capital
Region. (Title I)
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
No comparable provision in Title I.
—
(NIFA). Appropriation states that “necessary
Provides $9.5 mil ion for relocation. (§762)
expenses” do not provide funds to relocate the NIFA
outside the National Capital Region. (Title I)
Farm Service Agency. None of the funds may be
Same as House provision. (Title I)a
—
used to close a county office or to permanently
relocate county-based employees that results in an
office with two or fewer employees without
congressional notification. (Title I)a
Program reorganization—USDA. No funds may be
No comparable provision. See §716.
—
used to create or eliminate programs, relocate offices
or employees, reorganize offices, or privatize functions.
(§716)b

41 H.Rept. 116-9, Conference Report for the FY2019 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Explanatory Statement for
Division B.
Congressional Research Service
21

link to page 29 link to page 29 link to page 29 link to page 29
House-passed H.R. 3055, Division B
Senate-passed H.R. 3055, Division B
Enacted
Program reorganization—CFTC and FDA. No
Program reorganization—USDA and FDA.
—
funds may be used to create or eliminate programs,
Similar approach to §717 of the House bil . Specifies
relocate offices or employees, reorganize offices, or
USDA and FDA, but not CFTC. (§716)b
privatize functions unless notice is provided and
approval is received from the Appropriations
Committees. (§717)b
Relocation. None of the funds may be used to
No comparable provision.
—
relocate an agency to outside the National Capital
Region without enactment of appropriation that is
specific for that relocation. (§758)
Restructuring. None of the funds may be used to
No comparable provision.
—
restructure an agency into another mission area or
office without specific appropriation for that
restructuring. (§759)
Disaster Programs

Disaster payments. In general, prohibits the use of
Same as House provision. (§714)c
—
Clause (3) of Section 32 (Funds for Strengthening
Markets, Income and Supply, 7 U.S.C. §612c) to
reestablish farmers’ purchasing power by making
payments to farmers. However, al ows an exception to
use up to $350 mil ion of carryover for this purpose
with congressional notification. (§714)c
No comparable provision.
Disaster assistance for sugar beet processors.

Amends the list of eligible losses that may be covered
under the Disaster Relief Act of FY2019 (P.L. 116-20,
Title I) to include payments to cooperative processors
for reduced sugar beet quantity and quality. (§764)
Agricultural Research

Climate change. Prohibits USDA from removing the
No comparable provision.
—
term “climate change” from any publication by any
entity that receives USDA funding. (§784)
Matching requirement. Allows USDA to waive the
No comparable provision.
—
matching funds requirement for the Specialty Crops
Research Initiative. (§762)
National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF).
Same as House provision. (§735)
—
Directs that NBAF shall be transferred from the
Department of Homeland Security to USDA. (§766)
Nutrition Assistance Programs

SNAP retailer standards. Prohibits funding to
Same as House provision. (§726)
—
administer the “variety requirements” in the final rule
“Enhancing Retailer Standards in SNAP” until the
Secretary amends the definition of variety to increase
the number of items that qualify as acceptable varieties
in each staple food category. (§728)
School meal prices. Exempts certain school food
No comparable provision.
—
authorities (those without a negative balance in their
school food service accounts as of December 31, 2019)
from paid meal equity requirements in school year
2020-2021. (§747)
Vegetables in school breakfast. Prohibits funding to
Same as House provision. (§751)
—
implement or enforce the portion of a School Breakfast
Congressional Research Service
22

House-passed H.R. 3055, Division B
Senate-passed H.R. 3055, Division B
Enacted
Program regulation that limits substituting fruits with
certain vegetables. (§750)
Livestock, Animals, Regulatory Agencies

Horse slaughter. Prohibits USDA from conducting
Same as House provision. (§765)
—
horse slaughter inspection. (§740)
Animal Welfare Act. Prohibits funding to issue or
Same as House provision. (§739)
—
renew licenses to class B dealers who sell dogs and cats
for use in research, experiments, teaching, or testing.
(§736)
Directs the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
No comparable provision.
—
to restore to its website and provide updated contents
in an animal welfare database that was removed from
the web in 2017. (§760)
Organic livestock. Directs USDA to finalize the
Same as House provision. (§752)
—
proposed rule “National Organic Program; Origin of
Livestock,” published in the Federal Register on April 28,
2015. (§756)
Poultry from China. Prohibits funds to buy raw or
No comparable provision.
—
processed poultry products from China for the
National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast
Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and
Summer Food Service Program. (§739)
Prohibits funding to finalize the proposed rule,
No comparable provision.
—
“Eligibility of the People’s Republic of China to Export
to the United States Poultry Products,” until USDA
verifies certain conditions. (§742)
Swine Slaughter Inspection. Prohibits USDA from
No comparable provision.
—
implementing the proposed rule “Modernization of
Swine Slaughter Inspection” (February 1, 2018) until the
USDA inspector general issues a report and the Food
Safety and Inspection Service responds. (§779)
No comparable provision.
Genetically engineered salmon. Prohibits

genetically engineered salmon from entering into
interstate commerce until completion of a study
commissioned jointly by USDA and FDA. (§763)
Rural Development

American steel. Prohibits funding for rural water,
Same as House provision. (§740)
—
wastewater, waste disposal, and solid waste
management projects unless all of the iron and steel
products are produced in the United States. (§737)
Persistent poverty counties. Requires that at least
Same as House provision. (§745)
—
10% of the funds in certain rural development programs
shall be allocated to persistent poverty counties,
defined as any county that has had 20% or more of its
population living in poverty over the past 30 years.
(§741)
No comparable provision.
REAP Zones. Sets aside funding for Rural Economic

Area Partnership (REAP) Zones for several programs
in amounts that were most recently obligated in REAP
Zones from such programs. (§741)
Congressional Research Service
23

link to page 29
House-passed H.R. 3055, Division B
Senate-passed H.R. 3055, Division B
Enacted
Food and Drug Administration

Produce for human consumption. Prohibits FDA
Grapes for wine. Similar to House provision except
—
funds to enforce the final rule “Standards for the
applies only to grapes used for wine. (§749)
Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce
for Human Consumption” with respect to wine grapes,
hops, pulse crops, or almonds. (§746)
Seafood. Directs the FDA to revise the advice in a
No comparable provision.
—
notice about eating fish to be consistent with nutrition
science recognized by FDA about seafood consumption.
(§751)
Human embryos. Prohibits FDA from using funds to
Same as House provision. (§730)
—
accept any investigational new drug application for
“research in which a human embryo is intentionally
created or modified to include a heritable genetic
modification.” (§778)
No comparable provision.
E-cigarettes and vaping. Directs FDA to address

recent il nesses from e-cigarettes and vaping products.
(§767)
USDA Forest Serviced

Forest Service. Prohibits USDA from eliminating the
No comparable provision.
—
Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center
or altering the jurisdiction as it existed in the
department on January 1, 2019. (§780)
Other

Hemp. No comparable provision in Division B.
Prohibits using appropriations to contravene §7606 of

Division A (for Commerce, Justice, Science
the 2014 farm bil or §10114 of the 2018 farm bil
appropriations) carries a similar provision for the Drug
regarding hemp. (§727)
Enforcement Agency and Department of Justice.
(Division A, §530)
Source: CRS.
a. The issue of closing an FSA county office is also addressed in a permanent law that requires certain
conditions and notifications (7 U.S.C. §6932a). This appropriations provision, continued from previous
years, would augment the standing law for one year.
b. For USDA, Section 716 of the House bil omits a conditional clause that has been used in prior years’
appropriations that would presumably allow reorganization only if USDA notifies Congress and receives
approval from the Appropriations committees. For CFTC and FDA, Section 717 of the House bil (and
Section 716 of the Senate bil for USDA and FDA) retains the conditional approval clause. The USDA Office
of General Counsel recently noted that these types of approval clauses have been found to be
unconstitutional as determined by the Supreme Court in INS v. Chada (1983). See the USDA inspector
general’s report about relocating ERS and NIFA and the USDA Office of General Counsel’s comments (OIG
Report 91801-00001-23, p. 35, August 2019).
c. Appropriations acts from FY2012 to FY2016 imposed a complete prohibition on disaster payments that
relied upon Clause (3) of Section 327 (U.S.C. §612c) or Section (5) of the Commodity Credit Corporation
(CCC, 15 U.S.C. §714c). Beginning in FY2017, the restriction provision in appropriations began to allow a
limited amount of carryover in Section 32 to fund Clause (3) up to $75 mil ion, but the complete
prohibition continued on Section (5) of CCC. Beginning in FY2018, the restriction on CCC was lifted (by
no longer being inserted into the appropriation), and the Section 32 allowance for carryover rose to up to
$350 mil ion.
d. Although the Forest Service is part of USDA, jurisdiction for its appropriations are in the Interior and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act.
Congressional Research Service
24

link to page 31 link to page 31 link to page 31
Appendix A. Appropriations in Administrative Accounts
Table A-1. USDA Departmental Administration Appropriations
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020
Change from FY2019

P.L. 115-
P.L. 115-
Admin.
House
Senate
to House-
to Senate-
Office
31
141
P.L. 116-6
request
H.R. 3055 H.R. 3055
Enacted
passed
passed
Office of the Secretary

Office of the Secretary
5.1
5.1
5.1
4.9
3.9
6.0
—
-1.2
+1.0

Office of Tribal Relations
0.5 Combined with Public Partnership and Engagement
Assistant to the Sec. for Rural Developmenta
—
0.8
0.8
0.8
Moved back to Rural Developmenta
-0.8
-0.8

Office of Homeland Security
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.4
1.4
1.5
—
+0.0
+0.0
Public Partnership and Engagementb
1.2
4.7
4.7
1.7
6.2
4.7
—
+1.5
+0.0
Assistant Secretary for Admin.
0.8
0.8
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
—
+0.0
+0.0
Departmental Administration
24.1
22.3
22.3
21.4
0.4
16.3
—
-21.9
-6.0
Asst. Sec. Congressional Relations
3.9
3.9
3.9
3.1
3.1
3.9
—
-0.8
+0.0
Office of Communications
7.5
7.5
7.5
7.3
3.7
7.5
—
-3.8
+0.0
Subtotal
44.6
46.5
46.6
41.4
19.5
40.8
—
-27.1
-5.8
Executive Operations

Office of Chief Economist
18.9
19.8
21.3
18.5
21.0
24.3
—
-0.3
+3.0
Office of Hearings and Appeals
13.4
15.2
15.2
13.5
15.2
15.2
—
+0.0
+0.0
Office of Budget, Program Analysis
9.5
9.5
9.5
8.2
9.5
9.5
—
+0.0
+0.0
Subtotal
41.8
44.5
46.0
40.2
45.8
49.0
—
-0.3
+3.0
CRS-25

FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020
Change from FY2019

P.L. 115-
P.L. 115-
Admin.
House
Senate
to House-
to Senate-
Office
31
141
P.L. 116-6
request
H.R. 3055 H.R. 3055
Enacted
passed
passed
Other Administration

Chief Information Officer
49.5
59.0
55.6
101.4
48.9
101.4
—
-6.7
+45.8
Chief Financial Officer
8.0
6.0
6.0
13.5
6.0
7.5
—
+0.0
+1.5
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.8
0.9
0.9
—
+0.0
+0.0
Office of Civil Rights
24.2
24.2
24.2
21.2
24.2
24.2
—
+0.0
+0.0
Buildings and facilities
84.2
64.4
60.0
331.1
330.1
317.1
—
+270.1
+257.1
Hazardous materials management
3.6
3.5
3.5
3.3
5.3
3.5
—
+1.8
+0.0
Office of Inspector General
98.2
98.2
98.2
98.2
99.2
98.2
—
+1.0
+0.0
General Counsel
44.7
44.5
45.1
41.2
11.2
45.1
—
-33.9
+0.0
Office of Ethics
4.1
4.1
4.1
2.8
4.1
4.1
—
+0.0
+0.0
Subtotal
317.5
304.9
297.7
613.5
530.1
602.1
—
+232.3
+304.4
Total, Departmental Administration
403.9
396.0
390.4
695.1
595.3
691.9
—
+205.0
+301.6
Source: CRS, using appropriations text and report tables. For FY2020, House-passed and Senate-passed are H.R. 3055 (Division B).
a. The USDA-initiated reorganization in 2017 created an “Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development” as part of the Office of the Secretary rather than the
previously Senate-confirmed undersecretary position. The 2018 farm bil reinstated the undersecretary position.
b. Formerly, this was the Office of Advocacy and Outreach.

CRS-26

link to page 33 link to page 33 link to page 33 link to page 33
Appendix B. Appropriations in General Provisions
Table B-1. General Provisions: Changes in Mandatory Program Spending (CHIMPS)
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020
Change from FY2019

P.L. 115-
P.L. 115-
Admin.
House
Senate
to House-
to Senate-
CHIMPS and mandatory rescissions
31
141
P.L. 116-6
request
H.R. 3055 H.R. 3055
Enacted
passed
passed
a. Farm bill conservation programs

Farm Security Rural Investment Act programs
—
[-0.1]a
[-60.2]a
-60.2
-60.2
-60.2
—
+0.0
+0.0
Environmental Quality Incentives Program
-179.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Watershed Rehabilitation Program
-54.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Agricultural Management Assistance
-2.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
b. Other farm bill programs

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
-125.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
The Emergency Food Assistance Program
+19.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Farm to School
—
+5.0
+5.0
—
+6.0
+5.0
—
+1.0
+0.0
Biorefinery Assistance Program
-20.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Biomass Crop Assistance Program
-20.0
-21.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Tree Assistance Program
—
+15.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Subtotal, farm bill programs
-381.0
-1.0
+5.0
-60.0
-54.0
-55.0
—
+1.0
+0.0
Other CHIMPS

Farm Production & Conservation Bus. Ctr.
—
[+0.1]a
[+60.2]a
+60.2
+60.2
+60.2
—
+0.0
+0.0
Cushion of Credit (Rural Development)
-132.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Section 32
-231.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Food for Progress
—
—
+10.0
—
—
—
—
-10.0
-10.0
CRS-27

FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020
Change from FY2019

P.L. 115-
P.L. 115-
Admin.
House
Senate
to House-
to Senate-
CHIMPS and mandatory rescissions
31
141
P.L. 116-6
request
H.R. 3055 H.R. 3055
Enacted
passed
passed
Total CHIMPS
-744.0
-1.0
+15.0
+0.0
+6.0
+5.0
—
-9.0
-10.0
Source: CRS, using appropriations text and report tables, and unpublished CBO tables. For FY2020, House-passed and Senate-passed are H.R. 3055 (Division B).
a. Amounts in brackets were not in the official CBO scoring of CHIMPS. Appropriations acts in FY2018 and FY2019 transferred mandatory conservation funding into
the Farm Production and Conservation Business Center, but the official CBO scoring of appropriations at that time did not record it as a CHIMP the way that the
FY2020 scoring reflects. For more background, see CRS Report R45406, FY2018 and FY2019 Appropriations for Agricultural Conservation.
Table B-2. General Provisions: Rescissions from Discretionary Accounts
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020
Change from FY2019

P.L. 115-
P.L. 115-
Admin.
House
Senate
to House-
to Senate-
Rescissions of discretionary accounts
31
141
P.L. 116-6
request
H.R. 3055 H.R. 3055
Enacted
passed
passed
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for
Women, Infants, and Children
-850.0
-800.0
-500.0
-1,000.0
-800.0
-800.0
—
-300.0
-300.0
NIFA buildings and facilities (relocation)
—
—
—
—
-5.8
—
—
-5.8
—
Rural Development balances
-4.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Rural community facilities program
—
—
—
-4.2
—
—
—
—
—
Rural Housing Service
—
—
—
-40.0
—
—
—
—
—
Water and waste disposal cancellation
—
—
—
-100.0
—
—
—
—
—
Electric loan refinancing
—
—
—
—
—
-15.1
—
—
-15.1
FAS salaries and expenses
—
—
—
-8.8
—
—
—
—
—
USDA unobligated balances
—
—
-5.0
—
—
—
—
+5.0
+5.0
Total
-854.0
-800.0
-505.0
-1,153.0
-805.8
-815.1
—
-300.8
-310.1
Source: CRS, using appropriations text and report tables, and unpublished CBO tables. For FY2020, House-passed and Senate-passed are H.R. 3055 (Division B).
CRS-28

Table B-3. General Provisions: Other Appropriations
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020
Change from FY2019

P.L. 115-
P.L. 115-
Admin.
House
Senate
to House-
to Senate-
Program
31
141
P.L. 116-6
request
H.R. 3055 H.R. 3055
Enacted
passed
passed
Opioid Enforcement and Surveillance
—
94.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
FDA buildings and facilities
—
—
—
—
—
20.0
—
—
+20.0
Zika virus, Ebola funding
10.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Agriculture Risk Coverage pilot
5.0
5.0
5.0
—
—
—
—
-5.0
-5.0
Dairy Innovation
—
—
—
—
—
20.0
—
—
+20.0
Mitigation banking
—
—
—
—
—
5.0
—
—
+5.0
Conservation Reserve Program pilot
—
1.0
1.0
—
—
1.0
—
-1.0
+0.0
Farmland Relending Program
—
—
—
—
5.0
—
—
+5.0
—
Farm Ownership Report
—
—
—
—
1.0
—
—
+1.0
—
Citrus greening
5.5
7.5
8.5
—
8.5
8.5
—
+0.0
+0.0
Pet shelter and housing assistance grant
—
—
—
—
—
3.0
—
—
+3.0
Eastern equine encephalitis
—
—
—
—
—
1.0
—
—
+1.0
APHIS buildings and facilities
47.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Fruit fly quarantine payments
—
—
9.0
—
—
—
—
-9.0
-9.0
Hardwood trees reforestation pilot
0.6
0.6
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Geographically disadvantaged farmers
2.0
2.0
2.0
—
2.0
2.0
—
+0.0
+0.0
Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach
—
—
—
—
10.0
—
—
+10.0
—
Water Bank
4.0
4.0
4.0
—
—
4.0
—
-4.0
+0.0
Rural Energy Savings Program
8.0
8.0
10.0
—
15.0
10.0
—
+5.0
+0.0
Maturing mortgage pilot
1.0
1.0
1.0
—
—
1.0
—
-1.0
+0.0
Rural microentrepreneur assistance program
—
—
3.0
—
—
—
—
-3.0
-3.0
CRS-29

link to page 36
FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020
Change from FY2019

P.L. 115-
P.L. 115-
Admin.
House
Senate
to House-
to Senate-
Program
31
141
P.L. 116-6
request
H.R. 3055 H.R. 3055
Enacted
passed
passed
Water and Waste Water
—
500.0
75.0
—
—
—
—
-75.0
-75.0
Waste water pilot
—
—
—
—
—
5.0
—
—
+5.0
Broadband pilot
—
600.0
125.0
—
518.0
—
—
+393.0
-125.0
Distance Learning Telemedicine
—
20.0
16.0
—
—
1.0
—
-16.0
-15.0
Rural Hospital Technical Assistance
—
—
—
—
1.0
—
—
+1.0
—
Protecting Animals with Shelter Grants
—
—
—
—
2.0
—
—
+2.0
—
Tribal Demonstration Projects
—
—
—
—
3.0
—
—
+3.0
—
Electric loan refinancing
13.8
5.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Healthy Food Financing Initiative
1.0
1.0
2.0
—
10.0
2.0
—
+8.0
+0.0
Healthy Fluid Milk
—
—
—
—
1.0
1.0
—
+1.0
+1.0
RISE grants
—
—
—
—
—
5.0
—
—
+5.0
Farm and Ranch Stress Network
—
—
—
—
—
5.0
—
—
+5.0
NIFA military veterans grants
5.0
5.0
5.0
—
5.0
5.0
—
+0.0
+0.0
NIFA buildings and facilities (relocation)
—
6.0
—
—
—a
—
—
—
—
ERS-NIFA relocation expenses
—
—
—
—
—
25.0
—
—
+25.0
Genome to Phenome
—
—
—
—
1.0
—
—
+1.0
—
Science Technology Engineering Math programs
0.5
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
NIFA 1890 land grants, Centers of Excellence
—
—
5.0
—
10.0
3.0
—
+5.0
-2.0
Tribal Student Scholarships
—
—
—
—
2.5
5.0
—
+2.5
+5.0
International Agriculture Education
—
—
—
—
1.0
—
—
+1.0
—
Pol inator Research Coordinator
—
—
—
—
0.4
—
—
+0.4
—
Urban Agriculture Office
—
—
—
—
5.0
5.0
—
+5.0
+5.0
Food Loss Liaison
—
—
—
—
0.4
—
—
+0.4
—
CRS-30

link to page 36 link to page 33 link to page 37
FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020
Change from FY2019

P.L. 115-
P.L. 115-
Admin.
House
Senate
to House-
to Senate-
Program
31
141
P.L. 116-6
request
H.R. 3055 H.R. 3055
Enacted
passed
passed
Food for Peace
134.0
116.0
216.0
—
—
—
—
-216.0
-216.0
Food for Progress
—
—
6.0
—
—
—
—
-6.0
-6.0
Child Nutrition training pilot
—
2.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Nutrition Assistance Program Study
—
—
—
—
7.0
—
—
+7.0
—
Micro-Grants for Food Security
—
—
—
—
10.0
2.0
—
+10.0
+2.0
Food insecurity pilot project
—
—
—
—
—
2.0
—
—
+2.0
School breakfast expansion
—
—
—
—
10.0
—
—
+10.0
—
Subtotal, other spending provisions
237.4
1,378.1
493.5
0.0
628.8
141.5
—
+135.3
-352.0
Disaster/Emergency programs

Emergency Watershed Protection
103.1
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Emergency Conservation Program
131.6
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Subtotal, disaster/emergency programs
234.8b
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Total
472.2
1,378.1
493.5
0.0
628.8
141.5
—
+135.3
-352.0
Source: CRS, using appropriations text and report tables, and unpublished CBO tables. For FY2020, House-passed and Senate-passed are H.R. 3055 (Division B).
Note: Excludes supplemental appropriations outside the annual appropriations act.
a. See Table B-2 for a rescission from the FY2018 appropriation.
b. Of this amount, $206 mil ion was designated as a disaster spending and not counted against the discretionary spending limit (see Table B-4).
CRS-31

Table B-4. General Provisions: Scorekeeping Adjustments
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020
Change from FY2019

P.L. 115-
P.L. 115-
Admin.
House
Senate
to House-
to Senate-
Scorekeeping Adjustment
31
141
P.L. 116-6
request
H.R. 3055 H.R. 3055
Enacted
passed
passed
Loan program negative subsidies

Rural housing negative subsidy
-146.0
-147.0
-135.0
-125.0
-125.0
-125.0
—
+10.0
+10.0
Rural community facilities negative subsidy
-159.0
-99.0
-72.0
-72.0
-72.0
-72.0
—
+0.0
+0.0
Rural elec. & tele. loan negative subsidy
-203.0
-207.0
-173.0
-176.0
-176.0
-176.0
—
-3.0
-3.0
Rural water & waste loan negative subsidy
-2.0
-2.0
-2.0
-3.0
-3.0
-3.0
—
-1.0
-1.0
Ag credit loan negative subsidy
-24.0
-24.0
-23.0
-23.0
-23.0
-23.0
—
+0.0
+0.0
Subtotal, negative subsidies
-534.0
-479.0
-405.0
-399.0
-399.0
-399.0
—
+6.0
+6.0
Denali Commission
4.0
—
—
-4.0
—
—
—
—
—
Interest Native American Fund Endowment
5.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Child nutrition equipment grants
1.0
1.0
1.0
—
1.0
1.0
—
+0.0
+0.0
Emergency designations not counted in allocation
-206.1
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Total
-730.1
-481.0
-404.0
-403.0
-398.0
-398.0
—
+6.0
+6.0
Source: CRS, using appropriations text and report tables, and unpublished CBO tables. For FY2020, House-passed and Senate-passed are H.R. 3055 (Division B).
Notes: A negative subsidy for a loan program generally occurs when the interest rate and/or fees charged to the borrowers are more than sufficient to cover the costs
of the risk of default (Government Accountability Office, “Credit Reform: Current Method to Estimate Credit Subsidy Costs Is More Appropriate for Budget Estimates
Than a Fair Value Approach,” GAO-16-41, January 2016).

CRS-32

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Appendix C. Budget Sequestration
Sequestration is a process to reduce federal spending through automatic, largely across-the-board
reductions that permanently cancel mandatory and/or discretionary budget authority.42
Sequestration is triggered as a budget enforcement mechanism when federal spending would
exceed statutory budget goals.43 Sequestration is currently authorized by the BCA (P.L. 112-25).
A sequestration rate is the percentage reduction that is subtracted from an appropriated budget
authority to achieve an intended budget goal. OMB computes these rates annually. Table C-1
shows the rates of sequestration that have been announced and the total amounts of budget
authority that have been cancelled from accounts in Agriculture appropriations. Table C-2
provides additional detail at the program level for mandatory accounts.
Table C-1. Summary of Sequestration on Agriculture Accounts
Discretionary Accounts
Mandatory Accounts

Sequestered
Sequestered
Budget
Budget
Sequestration
Authority
Sequestration
Authority
Fiscal Year
Rate
($ millions)
Rate
($ millions)
2013
5.0%
1,153
5.1%
713
2014
—
—
7.2%
1,052
2015
—
—
7.3%
1,153
2016
—
—
6.8%
1,819
2017
—
—
6.9%
1,686
2018
—
—
6.6%
1,316
2019
—
—
6.2%
1,530
2020
—
—
5.9%
1,378
Source: CRS, compiled from OMB, Reports to the Congress on the Joint Committee Reductions, various fiscal years.
Available for FY2018-FY2020 at https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/legislative/sequestration-reports-orders and
for FY2013-FY2017 at https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/omb/legislative_reports/sequestration.
Notes: Sequestration rates listed here are for nonexempt, nondefense accounts. CRS computed amount totals
from the compilation in Table C-2.
Discretionary Spending
For discretionary spending, sequestration is authorized through FY2021 if discretionary defense
and nondefense spending exceed caps that are specified in statute (2 U.S.C. §901(c)).
In FY2013, the timing of the appropriations acts and the first year of sequestration resulted in
triggering sequestration on discretionary spending.
In FY2014-FY2019, BBAs in 2013, 2015, and 2018 (P.L. 113-67, P.L. 114-74, and P.L. 115-123,
respectively) have avoided sequestration on discretionary spending. These BBAs raised the
discretionary budget caps that were placed in statute by the BCA and allowed Congress to enact
larger appropriations than would have been allowed. The enacted appropriations in FY2014-

42 CRS Report R43411, The Budget Control Act of 2011: Legislative Changes to the Law and Their Budgetary Effects.
43 CRS Report R42972, Sequestration as a Budget Enforcement Process: Frequently Asked Questions.
Congressional Research Service
33

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FY2019 met the spending limitations of the revised budget caps, and therefore no sequestration
on discretionary accounts was necessary.
For FY2020-FY2021, the BBA of 2019 (P.L. 116-37) similarly provides a higher discretionary
cap that may avoid sequestration (see “Discretionary Budget Caps and Subcommittee
Allocations”).44
Mandatory Spending
Sequestration Occurs and Continues
For mandatory spending, sequestration is presently authorized and scheduled to continue through
FY2029, having been amended and extended by budget acts that were subsequent to the BCA (2
U.S.C. §901a(6)). That is, sequestration of mandatory spending has not been avoided by the
BBAs and continues to apply annually to certain accounts (Table C-2).
The original FY2021 sunset on the sequestration of mandatory accounts has been extended five
times as an offset to pay for raising the caps on discretionary spending to avoid sequestration in
the near term (or as a general budgetary offset for other authorization acts):
1. Congress extended the duration of mandatory sequestration by two years (until
FY2023) as an offset in BBA 2013.45
2. Congress extended it by another year (until FY2024) to maintain retirement
benefits for certain military personnel (P.L. 113-82).
3. Congress extended sequestration on nonexempt mandatory accounts another year
(until FY2025) as an offset in BBA 2015.46
4. Congress extended sequestration on nonexempt mandatory accounts for two
years (until FY2027) as an offset in BBA 2018 (P.L. 115-123, §30101(c)).47
5. Congress extended sequestration on nonexempt mandatory accounts by another
two years (until FY2029) as an offset in BBA 2019 (P.L. 116-37, §402).48
Exemptions from Sequestration
Some USDA mandatory programs are statutorily exempt from sequestration. Those expressly
exempt by statute are the nutrition programs (SNAP, the child nutrition programs, and the
Commodity Supplemental Food Program)49 and the Conservation Reserve Program.50 Some prior

44 CRS Insight IN11148, The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019: Changes to the BCA and Debt Limit.
45 CBO, Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, December 11, 2013, https://www.cbo.gov/publication/44964.
46 CBO, Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, October 28, 2015, https://www.cbo.gov/publication/50938. In addition to
extending sequestration and related to mandatory spending in agriculture, crop insurance was used as an additional
budgetary offset in BBA 2015. The effect was temporary, however, and the crop insurance reduction was restored. For
more background, see the section on crop insurance and the Standard Reinsurance Agreement in CRS Report R44240,
Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2016 Appropriations.
47 CBO, Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, February 8, 2018, https://www.cbo.gov/publication/53556.
48 CBO, Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019, July 23, 2019, https://www.cbo.gov/publication/55478.
49 2 U.S.C. §905(h).
50 2 U.S.C. §905(g)(1)(A).
Congressional Research Service
34

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legal obligations in the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation51 and the farm commodity programs
may be exempt52 as determined by OMB.53
Generally speaking, the experience since FY2013 is that OMB has ruled that most of crop
insurance is exempt from sequestration, while the farm commodity programs, disaster assistance,
and most conservation programs have been subject to it.54
Implementation of Sequestration
Nonexempt mandatory spending in FY2020 is to be reduced by a 5.9% sequestration rate (Table
C-1) and thus would be paid at 94.1% of what would otherwise have been provided. This is
projected to result in a reduction of about $1.4 billion from mandatory agriculture accounts in
FY2020, including over $900 million from amounts paid by the CCC (Table C-2).
For example, for the farm commodity programs that support farm income such as the Agricultural
Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs,55 payments to farmers are computed by a
regular formula authorized in the farm bill, and the final actual payment to the farmer is reduced
by the sequestration rate. For programs that operate on a fixed budget authority, such as the
Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Market Assistance Program, the sequestration
rate is applied to the available budget authority for the fiscal year.

51 2 U.S.C. §905(g)(2).
52 2 U.S.C. §906(j).
53 Some administrative expenses may be subject to sequestration, and therefore programs that are otherwise exempt
may have a relatively small sequesterable amount compared to their total budget authority, as shown, for example, in
Table C-2 for the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, SNAP, child nutrition programs, and WIC.
54 CRS Report R42050, Budget “Sequestration” and Selected Program Exemptions and Special Rules.
55 CRS In Focus IF11161, 2018 Farm Bill Primer: ARC and PLC Support Programs.
Congressional Research Service
35

link to page 43
Table C-2. Sequestration of Mandatory Accounts
Sequestered budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2013
FY2014
FY2015
FY2016
FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020

Sequestration rate on nonexempt, nondefense mandatory accounts
5.1%
7.2%
7.3%
6.8%
6.9%
6.6%
6.2%
5.9%
U.S. Department of Agriculture

Office of the Secretary
—
—
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.8
0.9
Office of Chief Economist
—
—
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Agricultural Research Service
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
—
—
—
9.9
10.0
—
—
11.7
Extension
0.3
0.4
1.8
—
—
3.3
0.3
—
Biomass Research and Development
—
—
0.2
0.2
0.2
—
—
—
Integrated Activities
—
—
7.3
—
—
6.6
5.0
—
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Salaries appropriation
13.6
18.8
21.5
20.1
19.5
18.8
52.1
51.3
Miscellaneous Trust Funds
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Food Safety Inspection Service
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration
2.1
3.0
3.0
3.1
3.1
2.9
—
—

Agricultural Marketing Service

Section 32
40.4
79.7
81.9
77.3
79.6
78.1
74.4
72.2
Payments to states and possessions
—
—
5.3
5.0
5.0
5.6
5.3
5.0
Milk Market Orders Assessment Fund
2.9
4.2
4.2
4.0
4.1
4.0
3.8
4.8
Fee-Funded Inspection, Weighing, and Examinationa
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
2.9
Marketing services
—
—
2.2
2.0
2.1
2.0
3.0
2.1
Perishable Agriculture Commodities Act
0.6
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.7
0.7
0.6

CRS-36

FY2013
FY2014
FY2015
FY2016
FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020

Expenses and refunds
0.4
0.9
0.9
1.3
1.3
0.4
0.4
0.6
Risk Management Agency
—
—
—
—
0.6
—
—
—
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation
3.0
4.2
5.9
3.5
3.9
3.7
5.0
3.2

Farm Service Agency

Commodity Credit Corporation Fund
329.5
573.7
710.8
1,388.6
1,238.6
904.1
1,088.2
938.6
Wool Apparel Manufacturers Trust Fund
—
—
—
2.0
2.1
2.0
1.9
1.8
Pima Cotton Trust Fund
—
—
—
1.1
1.1
1.1
—
0.9
Commodity Credit Corporation Export Loans
—
—
—
0.4
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.2
Agricultural Credit Insurance Corporation
—
—
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Agricultural Disaster Relief Fund
70.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Tobacco Trust Fund
49.0
69.1
—
—
—
—
—
—
Farm Production and Conservation Business Center
—
—
—
—
—
—
3.7
—

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Farm bil conservation programs
171.2
263.1
269.9
265.7
281.5
254.9
262.4
252.2
Watershed Rehabilitation Program
—
11.9
11.2
4.7
4.7
4.4
3.0
3.0
Damage Assessment Restoration Revolving Fund
—
—
—
—
—
—
0.1
0.1

Rural Development, Rural Business Cooperative Service

Rural Energy for America Program
1.1
3.0
3.7
3.4
3.5
3.3
3.1
3.0
Biorefinery Assistance Program
—
—
3.7
3.4
1.4
1.3
—
1.5
Rural Cooperative Development Grants
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
1.1
Rural Economic Development Grants
—
—
—
1.6
—
—
0.9
0.9
Rural Microenterprise Investment Program
—
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
—
—
Energy Assistance Payments
3.3
3.2
1.1
1.0
1.0
1.0
—
0.4
Foreign Agricultural Service
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
CRS-37

link to page 43
FY2013
FY2014
FY2015
FY2016
FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020

Food and Nutrition Serviceb

SNAP
4.7
8.0
8.4
9.8
10.6
9.6
9.2
9.4
Child Nutrition Programs
2.5
4.2
4.2
3.9
4.3
4.0
3.9
3.2
Commodity Assistance Program
1.1
1.5
1.5
1.4
1.4
1.4
1.3
1.2
WIC
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1

Related Agencies

Commodity Futures Trading Commission
0.7
0.9
1.0
2.2
2.2
0.1
0.3
3.5

Food and Drug Administration

Revolving Fund for Certification
0.4
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
User fees
16.3
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation
0.2
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
Total
713.3
1,051.9
1,153.0
1,818.9
1,685.6
1,315.9
1,530.3
1,377.8
Source: CRS, compiled from amounts published in advance in OMB, Reports to the Congress on the Joint Committee Reductions, various fiscal years. Available for FY2018-
FY2019 at https://www.whitehouse.gov, and for FY2013-FY2017 at https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov.
Notes: Column totals were computed by CRS based on the jurisdiction of the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee. Sequestration rates are for nonexempt,
nondefense accounts. The sequesterable budget authority for each cell may be computed by dividing the amount of sequestration by the sequestration rate.
a. USDA reorganization moved the Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration into the Agricultural Marketing Service.
b. Benefits from the nutrition programs are generally exempt from sequestration by statute, but some administrative expenses in these programs may be subject to
sequestration, and therefore a relatively small portion of the total budget authority may be sequesterable.

CRS-38

Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2020 Appropriations

Appendix D. Action on Agriculture Appropriations,
FY1996-FY2020
Table D-1. Congressional Action on Agriculture Appropriations Since FY1996

House Action
Senate Action
Final Appropriation

Fiscal
CRS
Year
Subcmte.
Cmte.
Floor
Subcmte.
Cmte.
Floor
Enacted
Public Law
Report
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
Pol ed out
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
—
—
Pol ed out
7/17/2008
—
3/11/2009
O P.L. 111-8
R40000
2010
6/11/2009
6/18/2009
7/9/2009
Pol ed out
7/7/2009
8/4/2009
10/21/2009
E P.L. 111-80
R40721
2011
6/30/2010
—
—
Pol ed out
7/15/2010
—
4/15/2011
Y P.L. 112-10
R41475
2012
5/24/2011
5/31/2011
6/16/2011
Pol ed out
9/7/2011
11/1/2011
11/18/2011 O P.L. 112-55
R41964
2013
6/6/2012
6/19/2012
—
Pol ed out
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
4/19/2016
—
5/17/2016
5/19/2016
—
5/5/2017
O P.L. 115-31
R44588
2018
6/28/2017
7/12/2017
9/14/2017
7/18/2017
7/20/2017
—
3/23/2018
O P.L. 115-141
R45128
2019
5/9/2018
5/16/2018
—
5/22/2018
5/24/2018
8/1/2018
2/15/2019
O P.L. 116-6
R45230
2020
5/23/2019
6/4/2019
6/25/2019
9/17/2019
9/19/2019 10/31/2019
—
—
—
R45974
Source: CRS.
Notes: E = Enacted as standalone appropriation (eight times over 24 years); O = Omnibus appropriation (14
times); Y = Year-long CR (two times). “Pol ed out” refers to a procedure that permits a Senate subcommittee to
transmit a bil to its ful committee without a formal markup session. See CRS Report RS22952, Proxy Voting and
Polling in Senate Committee.
Congressional Research Service
39

Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2020 Appropriations

Author Information

Jim Monke

Specialist in Agricultural Policy

Key Policy Staff
Area of Expertise
Name
Agricultural appropriations, USDA budget
Jim Monke
Agricultural Marketing Service
Joel Greene
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Tadlock Cowan
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Rena Mil er
Conservation
Megan Stubbs
Crop insurance
Randy Schnepf
Disaster assistance
Megan Stubbs
Farm Service Agency
Jim Monke
Food and Drug Administration
Agata Dabrowska
Food safety, generally
Renée Johnson
Food safety, meat and poultry inspection
Joel Greene
International food assistance
Alyssa Casey
Nutrition and domestic food assistance
Randy Alison Aussenberg
Kara Clifford Bil ings
Research and extension
Genevieve Croft
Rural development
Alyssa Casey
Trade
Anita Regmi

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Congressional Research Service
R45974 · VERSION 3 · UPDATED
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