Agriculture and Related Agencies:
November 20, 2020
FY2021 Appropriations
Jim Monke
The Agriculture appropriations bil 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 bil ’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.
FY2021 began on October 1, 2020, under a continuing resolution (P.L. 116-159) that lasts until December 11,
2020. In the regular appropriations cycle, the House passed a four-bil FY2021 minibus appropriation on July 24,
2020, which contained the Agriculture appropriations bil . The Senate has not marked up or reported any
appropriations bil s for FY2021. However, the Senate Appropriations Committee released a draft measure and
explanatory statement on November 10, 2020.
The House-passed bil (H.R. 7608, Division B) would provide $23.97 bil ion in discretionary appropriations, an
increase of $488 mil ion (+2%) over the regular annual FY2020 appropriation. The primary changes compared
with FY2020 include increases for rural broadband (+$615 mil ion), foreign assistance (+$72 mil ion), food safety
and regulatory agencies (+63 mil ion), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA, +$47 mil ion). The bil
would provide less than in FY2020 for domestic nutrition programs (-$183 mil ion), agricultural research (-$81
mil ion), administration (-$35 mil ion), and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC, -$11 mil ion).
The Senate draft would provide $23.32 bil ion in discretionary appropriations, an increase of $143 mil ion (+1%)
over FY2020 on a comparable basis after adjusting for differences in committee jurisdictions. The Senate draft
would provide $345 mil ion less than the House-passed bil (-1%), mostly for rural broadband (-$590 mil ion) and
rural development (-$127 mil ion), but relatively more for domestic nutrition programs after accounting for
rescissions (+$402 mil ion).
General y speaking, both the House-passed bil and the Senate draft do not include most of the reductions
proposed by the Trump Administration, which had requested $19.9 bil ion for discretionary-funded accounts
within the jurisdiction of Agriculture appropriations subcommittees. The Administration’s request would have
been a reduction of $3.6 bil ion from FY2020 (-15%), including to foreign food assistance (-$1.97 bil ion);
domestic nutrition assistance (-$1.06 bil ion); and agricultural research, rural development, regulatory, and farm
production and conservation agencies (-$530 mil ion).
Separate from the regular FY2020 annual appropriation, Congress passed four supplemental appropriations acts in
response to the COVID-19 pandemic, al designated as emergency spending. These acts provide $53 bil ion
during FY2020 to programs in the jurisdiction of the Agriculture appropriations subcommittees. Of this, $36
bil ion are specified supplemental amounts, $3 bil ion is from an indefinite authorization, and $14 bil ion is
reimbursement for past obligations that is comparable to the annual appropriation.
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

Figure 1.Discretionary Agriculture Appropriations, by Title, FY2020-FY2021

Source: Congressional Research Service.
Note: CFTC = Commodity Futures Trading Commission. For comparability, includes CFTC in Related Agencies in al
columns regardless of jurisdiction.
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Status of FY2021 Agriculture Appropriations
In the absence of an enacted full-year appropriation, FY2021 began on October 1, 2020, under a
continuing resolution (P.L. 116-159), which lasts until December 11, 2020.
In the regular procedural cycle for the annual appropriation, the House passed a four-bil FY2021
minibus appropriation (H.R. 7608) on July 24, 2020, which contained the Agriculture
appropriations bil as Division B (Table 1). It carries the text of the committee-reported
Agriculture appropriations bil (H.R. 7610), as amended. The Senate Appropriations Committee
released a draft measure and explanatory statement on November 10, 2020. See Figure 2 for a
comparison of timelines and Appendix D for more details.
Table 1. Status of FY2021 Agriculture Appropriations
Continuing
Final
House Action
Senate Action
Resolution
Appropriation
Administration
Request
Subcmte.
Cmte.
Floor
Subcmte.
Cmte.
Floor

2/10/2020
7/6/2020
7/9/2020
7/24/2020
—
11/10/2020
—
10/1/2020
—
OMB Budget
Appendix
Drafta
H.R. 7610
H.R. 7608
Draftb
P.L. 116-159
USDA
Voice vote
H.Rept.
Division B
until 12/11/2020
FDA
116-446
Vote of
CFTC
Voice vote
224-189
FCA
Source: Congressional Research Service (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.
a. The House subcommittee draft is available at https://appropriations.house.gov/legislation/agriculture-
subcommittee-legislative-activity.
b. The Senate Appropriations Committee released subcommittee drafts at https://www.appropriations.
senate.gov/news/committee-releases-fy21-bil s-in-effort-to-advance-process-produce-bipartisan-results.
The House-passed bil would provide $23.97 bil ion in discretionary appropriations, an increase
of $488 mil ion (+2%) over the regular annual FY2020 appropriation (Table 2). The primary
changes compared with FY2020 include increases for rural broadband (+$615 mil ion), foreign
assistance (+$72 mil ion), food safety and regulatory agencies (+63 mil ion), and the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA, +$47 mil ion). The bil would provide less than in FY2020 for
domestic nutrition programs (-$183 mil ion), agricultural research (-$81 mil ion), administration
(-$35 mil ion), and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC, -$11 mil ion).
The Senate draft would provide $23.32 bil ion in discretionary appropriations, an increase of
$143 mil ion (+1%) over FY2020 and $345 mil ion less than the House (-1%) on a comparable
basis after adjusting for differences in jurisdictions between the House and Senate.1 Compared
with the House-passed bil , the Senate draft would provide less for rural broadband (-$590

1 Jurisdiction for Commodity Futures T rading Commission (CFT C) appropriations differs between the chambers. Since
FY2008, CFT C 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. T he enacted
CFT C 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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mil ion) and rural development (-$127 mil ion) but relatively more for domestic nutrition
programs after accounting for rescissions (+$402 mil ion).
Table 2. Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations, by Title, FY2020-FY2021
Budget authority in mil ions of dol ars (discretionary unless stated otherwise)

FY2020
FY2021
Change from FY2020
Title of Agriculture
COVID-19
Admin.
House-
Senate
to House-
to Senate
Appropriations Act
P.L. 116-94
Actsa
requestb
passed
draft
Enacted
passed
draft
I. Agricultural Programs
6,163.1
133.8
6,148.0
6,110.5
6,141.0
—
-52.6
-22.1
Mandatory
1,404.0
—
1,359.9
1,359.9
1,359.9
—
-44.1
-44.1
Subtotal
7,567.1
—
7,507.8
7,470.4
7,500.9
—
-96.8
-66.3
II. Farm Production, Conservation
2,819.0
3.0
2,618.7
2,835.5
2,829.1
—
+16.5
+10.2
Mandatory
36,268.5
14,000.0
34,269.6
34,269.6
34,269.6
—
-1,998.9
-1,998.9
Subtotal
39,087.5
14,003.0
36,888.3
37,105.1
37,098.7
—
-1,982.4
-1,988.8
III. Rural Development
3,240.6c
45.5
3,410.5
3,249.0c
3,121.2c
—
+8.4
-119.4
IV. Domestic Food Programs
6,566.0
1,350.0
5,700.7
6,383.3
6,586.0
—
-182.7
+20.0
Mandatory
91,436.3
24,710.0
93,309.8
93,851.9
93,368.6
—
+2,415.7
+1,932.4
Subtotal
98,002.3
26,060.0
99,010.5
100,235.3
99,954.7
—
+2,232.9
+1,952.3
V. Foreign Assistance
2,172.7
4.0
205.9
2,244.4
2,171.8
—
+71.7
-0.9
VI. Food and Drug Administration
3,171.5c
163.0
3,220.4
3,218.3
3,211.5
—
+46.8
+40.0
Commodity Fut. Trading Comm.
315.0
—
226.5
304.0
[304.0]
—
-11.0
-11.0
VII. General Provisions:

CHIMPS and rescissionsd
-1,006.1
—
-1,200.0
-988.0
-800.0
—
+18.1
+206.1
Emergency appropriations
535.0
—
0.0
—
0.0
—
-535.0
-535.0
Other appropriations
440.3
12,600.0
0.0
1,036.4
483.9
—
+596.1
+43.6
Scorekeeping adjustmentse
-398.0
—
-424.0
-421.0
-421.0
—
-23.0
-23.0
Emergency designation
-535.0
—a
0.0
—
0.0
—
+535.0
+535.0
Senate basis, w/o CFTC
[23,169.1]
14,299.3
19,680.2 [23,668.4]
23,323.4
—
+499.3
+154.3
House basis, w/ CFTC
23,484.1
14,299.3
19,906.7
23,972.4
[23,627.4]
—
+488.3
+143.3
Mandatory
129,108.8
38,710.0
128,939.3
129,481.4
128,998.1
—
+372.6
-110.7
Total: Senate basis
[152,278.0]
53,009.3
148,619.4 [153,149.9]
152,321.5
—
+871.9
+43.6
Total: House basis
152,593.0
53,009.3
148,845.9
153,453.9 [152,625.5]
—
+860.9
+32.6
Source: CRS, using appropriations text and reports and unpublished CBO tables. House-passed refers to H.R.
7608, Division B. Senate draft refers to the Senate Appropriations Committee draft from November 10, 2020.
Notes: Amounts are nominal discretionary budget authority unless labeled otherwise. Bracketed amounts are
not in the official totals due to differing House-Senate jurisdiction for CFTC but are shown for comparison.
a. Total from four coronavirus supplemental appropriations acts (P.L. 116-123, P.L. 116-127, P.L. 116-136, P.L.
116-139), al of which was emergency spending. Although amounts were not designated mandatory, they are
grouped here for comparison to accounts in the annual appropriations. See detail in Table 3.
b. The request is based on current law and does not reflect the Administration’s various legislative proposals.
c. Excludes amounts that are provided separately in General Provisions (see Table B-3).
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

d. Changes in Mandatory Program Spending (CHIMPS) revise mandatory programs via appropriations (Table
B-1). Rescissions are permanent cancel ations of previous authorizations (see Table B-2).
e. “Scorekeeping adjustments” are part of the official accounting for budget enforcement (Table B-4).
Figure 2. Timeline of Action on Agriculture Appropriations, FY2011-FY2021

Source: CRS. For specific dates and links to bil s, see Appendix D.
Notes: For FY2021, the Senate Committee released a draft subcommittee bil on November 10, 2020. Blue
shading shows the beginning of each fiscal year. Yel ow shading is the current appropriations cycle.

Other CRS Resources for Agricultural Appropriations

CRS In Focus IF11491, Supplemental Appropriations for Agriculture and Related Agencies Due to COVID-19

CRS Insight IN11250, USDA Domestic Food Assistance Programs’ Response to COVID-19: P.L. 116-127, P.L. 116-
136, and Related Efforts

CRS Report R46488, USDA Domestic Food Assistance Programs: FY2020 Appropriations

CRS Report R46255, International Food Assistance: FY2020 Appropriations

CRS Report R46011, FY2020 Appropriations for Agricultural Conservation

CRS In Focus IF11452, Staffing Trends in the USDA Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) Mission Area

CRS Insight IN11168, The CCC Anomaly in an FY2020 Continuing Resolution

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 In Focus IF10953, Agriculture Appropriations: Animal and Plant Health
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Scope of Agriculture Appropriations
The Agriculture appropriations bil —formal y known as the Agriculture, Rural Development,
Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act—funds al of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA), excluding the U.S. Forest Service.2 It also funds the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) 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
bil includes mandatory and discretionary spending, but the discretionary amounts are the primary
focus (Figure 3). Some programs are not in the authorizing jurisdiction of the House or Senate
Agriculture Committees, such as FDA; Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,
Infants, and Children (WIC); or child nutrition (checkered regions in Figure 3).
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 usual y advanced
unchanged, since it is controlled by budget rules during the authorization
process.6 Spending for so-cal ed entitlement programs is determined in laws such
as the 2018 farm bil 7 and 2010 child nutrition reauthorization.8
In the FY2020 appropriation (P.L. 116-94), the discretionary amount is 15% ($23 bil ion) of the
$153 bil ion total. Mandatory spending carried in the act comprised $129 bil ion, about 85% of
the total, of which about $106 bil ion is attributable to programs in the 2018 farm bil .
Within the discretionary total, the largest spending items are 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, its appropriations jurisdiction is in the Interior Appropriations Act.
3 See CRS In Focus IF11032, Budgetary Decisionmaking in Congress; and CRS Report R44582, Overview of Funding
Mechanism s in the Federal Budget Process, and Selected Exam ples.
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, Child Nutrition Reauthorization
(CNR): An Overview.
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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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

Figure 3. Scope of Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations
Budget authority in bil ions of dol ars

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, usual y 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 general y score budgetary savings.
CHIMPS (Changes in Mandatory Program Spending) are adjustments via an appropriations act that can change
available funding for mandatory programs. CHIMPS usual y 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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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

Recent Trends in Agriculture Appropriations
Discretionary Agriculture appropriations reached a 10-year low in FY2013 after decreasing from
a high in FY2010. Since FY2013, they have gradual y increased 19% over seven years. Changes
within titles have general y been proportionate to changes in the overal bil , though some areas
have sustained relative increases, such as FDA (related agencies) and rural development.
The stacked bars in Figure 4 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 bil
(most noticeably the Farm Service Agency). In most years, the cumulative appropriation for the
agencies is higher than the official discretionary total in the spending al ocation (the blue line)
because of the budgetary offset from negative amounts in Title VII (general provisions) and other
negative scorekeeping adjustments. These negative offsets are mostly due to rescissions of prior-
year unobligated funds and, before FY2018, limits placed on mandatory programs.
Historical trends may be tempered by inflation adjustments, as shown in the dotted line. In
FY2020 the inflation-adjusted total is 0.2% less than it was in FY2011 and 2.8% less than it was
in FY2018.
Figure 4. Discretionary Agriculture Appropriations, by Title, FY2011-FY2021

Source: CRS.
Note: For FY2021, Adm. is the Trump Administration’s request; House is House-passed H.R. 7608, Division B;
and Sen. is the Senate Appropriations Committee draft. For comparability, includes CFTC in Related Agencies in
al columns regardless of jurisdiction. The inflation-adjusted line was calculated using the gross domestic product
price deflator. Amounts printed diagonal y indicate the solid line, which is the subcommittee al ocation.
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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.11
Budget Resolution
Typical y, each chamber’s Appropriations Committee receives a top-line limit on discretionary
budget authority, referred to as a “302(a)” al ocation, from the Budget Committee via an annual
budget resolution. The Appropriations Committees then in turn subdivide the al ocation among
their subcommittees, referred to as the “302(b)” al ocations.12
For FY2021, the House and Senate Budget Committees have not reported a budget resolution.
Budget Caps
The Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA; P.L. 112-25) set discretionary budget caps from FY2013
through FY2021 as a way of reducing federal spending.13 If federal spending exceeds the
statutory budget caps, then automatic spending cuts are triggered. Sequestration is the across-the-
board backstop to achieve budget reductions by permanently canceling budget authority when
spending exceeds budget caps (2 U.S.C. §901(c)).14
FY2021 is the last year with budget caps under the BCA. Since 2011, Bipartisan Budget Acts
(BBAs) in 2013, 2015, 2018, and 2019 have raised the caps to al ow more spending and avoid
sequestration on discretionary accounts (Figure 5).15
Despite the BBA agreements that have raised discretionary spending caps to avoid sequestration
(with the exception of FY2013), sequestration stil impacts mandatory spending accounts.
Sequestration on mandatory accounts began in FY2013 and continues to the present. Congress
has amended the BCA five times to extend sequestration on mandatory spending accounts,
usual y as an offset to raise the discretionary spending caps. The original sunset of sequestration
on mandatory accounts was to be FY2021; it is now scheduled to continue through FY2029.
Sequestration has reduced mandatory spending by about 6% per year, amounting to about $1.5
bil ion of reductions annual y from agriculture accounts in recent years (see Appendix C).
For discretionary spending, the BBA of 2019 (P.L. 116-37) raised the cap applicable to FY2021
nondefense discretionary spending to $627 bil ion. Agriculture appropriations are part of the
nondefense spending category. The BBA provides language to execute (or “deem”) the caps for
the appropriations process without a budget resolution.16
TheFY2021 budget cap of $627 bil ion for nondefense spending is about 1% greater than the cap
that was used to write the FY2020 appropriations. This cap is to be shared among many
appropriations subcommittees when spending al ocations are made.

11 CRS Report R42388, The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction .
12 References to 302(a) and 302(b) are to sections of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
13 CRS Report R44874, The Budget Control Act: Frequently Asked Questions.
14 CRS Report R42972, Sequestration as a Budget Enforcement Process: Frequently Asked Questions.
15 CRS Insight IN11090, Increasing the BCA Spending Limits: Characteristics of Previously Enacted Legislation.
16 CRS Insight IN11148, The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019: Changes to the BCA and Debt Limit.
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

Figure 5. BCA Discretionary Limits, FY2014-FY2021
Budget authority in bil ions of nominal dol ars

Source: CRS Insight IN11148, The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019: Changes to the BCA and Debt Limit.
Discretionary Spending Allocations
On July 9, 2020, the House Appropriations Committee reported its 302(b) subcommittee
al ocations (H.Rept. 116-143). The discretionary al ocation for Agriculture is $23.98 bil ion, an
increase of 2% above the FY2020 level.
On November 10, 2020, the Senate Appropriations Committee reported its 302(b) subcommittee
al ocations on the committee website with the draft bills. The discretionary al ocation for
Agriculture is $23.33 bil ion, an increase of nearly 1% above FY2020.
Action on FY2021 Appropriations
Administration’s Budget Request
The Trump Administration released its FY2021 budget proposal to Congress on February 10,
2020.17 USDA concurrently released its more detailed budget summary and justification,18 as did
the FDA,19 the CFTC,20 and the Farm Credit Administration.21 The Administration also
highlighted separately some of its proposed reductions and eliminations.22

17 OMB, FY2021 Budget of the U.S. Government, Appendix.
18 USDA, FY2021 USDA Budget Summary; and USDA, FY2021 Budget Explanatory Notes for Committee on
Appropriations.
19 FDA, FY2021 Justification of Estimates for Appropriations Committees.
20 CFT C, FY2021 President’s Budget Request.
21 Farm Credit Administration, FY2021 Proposed Budget and Performance Plan.
22 OMB, FY2021 Budget of the U.S. Government, Major Savings and Reforms.
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For accounts in the jurisdiction of the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, the
Administration’s budget requests $19.9 bil ion, a $3.6 bil ion reduction from FY2020 (-15%;
Table 3, Figure 4).23
The primary changes in the Administration’s request compared with what Congress enacted in
FY2020 include proposed reductions to the following:
 Foreign assistance (-$1.97 billion, -90%), mostly by eliminating funding for
Food for Peace Title II grants (-$1.73 bil ion) and the McGovern-Dole
International Food for Education (-$220 mil ion).24
 Domestic nutrition assistance programs (-$1.06 billion), mostly from
reductions to the WIC program (-$549 mil ion, -9%) and the commodity
assistance program (-$264 mil ion, -77%). In addition, the Administration
proposes rescinding more from unspent WIC balances than was done by the
enacted FY2020 General Provisions (-$200 mil ion), which contributes to the
overal budget effect of the request.
 Farm Production and Conservation mission area (-$200 million, -7%),
mostly from defunding watershed programs that are typical y not requested by
the Administration.
 Agricultural research agencies (-$151 million net, -4%), including from the
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) facilities (-$143 mil ion, -74%); ARS
salaries and expenses (-$46 mil ion, -3%); the Economic Research Service (-$23
mil ion, -27%); and formula research grants (-$53 mil ion). The request would
increase competitive research (+$175 mil ion) and create funding for the Office
of Chief Scientist (+$6 mil ion).25
 Rural development (-$130 million), from reductions to rural business
development programs (-$95 mil ion, -90%); rural housing programs (-$92
mil ion, -5%); rural water and the regular rural broadband and distance
learning/telemedicine accounts (-$58 mil ion, -8%); and a net reduction to the
rural broadband ReConnect program (-$50 mil ion net,26 -17%). The
Administration would increase rural development salaries and expenses (+$64
mil ion net) and create a Higher Blends Infrastructure Initiative (+$100 mil ion).
 Regulatory agencies (-$50 million), mostly by reducing the Agricultural
Marketing Service (-$40 mil ion, -21%) and the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (-$10 mil ion, -1%).
 Commodity Futures Trading Commission (-$89 million, -28%, to be replaced
by new user fees).
 Eliminating other appropriations in General Provisions (-$140 mil ion).
These reductions are offset by proposed increases to the following:

23 T his represents the Administration’s request based on current law and does not reflect the Administration’s various
legislative proposals that would change mandatory programs and any related changes to appropriations.
24 A similar reduction is discussed in CRS Report R46255, International Food Assistance: FY2020 Appropriations.
25 CRS Report R46341, Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2021 .
26 T he FY2021 budget request would move funding for the Rural e-Connectivity Pilot Program (also known as
ReConnect) into the regular Rural Utilities Service program account (+$250 million) while eliminating funding that
was in the General Provisions title of the FY2020 appropriation ( -$300 million). T his is separate from the supplemental
$100 million for ReConnect that was in the CARES Act coronavirus appropriation.
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 USDA administration (+$142 million, +30%), mostly by increasing the Office
of Chief Information Officer (+$76 mil ion, +155%); buildings and facilities
(+$25 mil ion, +19%); the Office of Budget and Program Analysis (+$11 mil ion,
+117%); and Departmental Administration (+$6 mil ion, +27%). The request
would create an Office of Safety, Security and Protection (+$25 mil ion) and an
Office of Information Affairs (+$2.5 mil ion). It would reduce the Office of
Public Partnership and Engagement (-$4 mil ion, -68%).
 Food Safety Inspection Service (+$38 million, +4%).
 Food and Drug Administration (+49 mil ion, +2%).
House Action
In February and March 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic paused development of the regular
appropriations bil s, the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee held hearings on the
request for USDA overal , the FDA and FCA budget requests, and the USDA and HHS Offices of
Inspector General.27
On July 6, 2020, the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee marked up a FY2021
Agriculture appropriations bil by voice vote. On July 9, the full committee reported the bil by
voice vote after adopting two amendments (H.R. 7610, H.Rept. 116-446).
On July 24, 2020, the House passed a four-bil FY2021 minibus appropriation (H.R. 7608) that
contained the text of the House-reported bil as Division B, as amended. Forty-five amendments
were submitted to the Rules Committee for the agriculture portion.28 The House Rules Committee
reported a modified open rule29 (H.Rept. 116-459) that made in order for floor consideration 24 of
these 45 amendments.30 During floor consideration, al 24 amendments in Division B were
adopted in two en bloc amendments (H.Amdt. 850 with 22 amendments in Division B, by voice
vote, and H.Amdt. 851 with two amendments in Division B, by a vote of 223-194).31 Of these
adopted amendments, 8 revised funding amounts with offsets, 1 increased an amount for
mandatory spending without offset, 3 added policy statements, and 12 made no substantive
changes but were for the purposes of discussion.
The House-passed Agriculture appropriations bil would provide $23.97 bil ion in discretionary
appropriations, an increase of $488 mil ion (+2%) over the regular annual FY2020 appropriation.
General y speaking, the House-reported bil does not include most of the reductions proposed by
the Administration and is $4.07 bil ion greater than the Administration’s request.
Table 3 provides details of the House-passed bil at the agency level; Table 2 summarizes it by
titles of the bil . The primary changes in the bil that comprise the $488 mil ion increase,
compared to the annual enacted FY2020 appropriation, include increases to the following:

27 Videos of the hearings are available at the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee website.
28 T he 45 amendments submitted for Division B, including links to the text, are posted at https://rules.house.gov/bill/
116/hr-7608.
29 Rules about floor consideration are discussed in CRS Report R43424, Considering Legislation on the House Floor:
Com m on Practices in Brief. A modified open rule makes in order a predetermined number of specific amendments.
30 A crosswalk of the amendment numbers from those submitted (footnote 28) to those made in order for floor
consideration (H.Rept. 116-459) is at https://rules.house.gov/sites/democrats.rules.house.gov/files/Rule_HR7608.pdf.
31 An amendment tracker for the minibus is at https://appropriations.house.gov/hr-7608-archived-amendment-tracker-
state-foreign-operations-agriculture-interior-environment-and.
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link to page 16 Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

 Rural e-Connectivity Pilot Program (also known as ReConnect; +615 mil ion,
+205%), to expand rural broadband.32 This is in the General Provisions title.
 Foreign assistance (+$72 million, +3%), to increase Food for Peace Title II
grants and McGovern-Dole Food for Education.
 USDA food safety and regulatory programs (+$63 million, +3%), mostly by
increasing the Food Safety Inspection Service by $34 mil ion and the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service by $27 mil ion.
 Food and Drug Administration (+$47 million, +1%).
 Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) mission area (+$17 million,
+1%), mostly from increasing the FPAC Business Center by $28 mil ion and
Conservation Operations by $4 mil ion and reducing two watershed programs.
 Rural Development (+$8 million, +0.3%), a net increase mostly from
increasing program administration (+$64 mil ion) and reducing rural utilities (-
$25 mil ion), rural housing (-$24 mil ion), and rural businesses (-$7 mil ion).
Changes from FY2020 in the House-passed bil also include reductions to the following:
 Domestic nutrition assistance programs (-$183 million, -3%), mostly from the
WIC program, although the Commodity Assistance Program would increase.
 Agricultural research (-$81 mil ion, -3%), a net reduction comprised mostly
from reducing ARS buildings and facilities by $182 mil ion while increasing the
program support for four agricultural research agencies by $101 mil ion.
 Departmental administration (-$35 million, -7%).
 Other appropriations (-$19 million), for various miscel aneous amounts in the
General Provisions title (not including the ReConnect program above).
 Commodity Futures Trading Commission (-$11 million, -3%).
Senate Action
The Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee held a hearing on the USDA budget request
in March 2020.33 Neither the Agriculture subcommittee nor the Appropriations Committee has
marked up a numbered FY2021 Agriculture appropriations bil .
However, on November 10, 2020, the Senate Appropriations Committee majority released drafts
of al 12 annual appropriations bil s along with draft accompanying explanatory statements.34 The
release of the draft bil s was intended to further negotiations on annual appropriations between
the House and the Senate.35 Hereinafter, references to the Senate Agriculture appropriations bil
refer to the Senate Appropriations Committee majority draft bil and its accompanying draft
explanatory statement.

32 See CRS In Focus IF11262, USDA’s ReConnect Broadband Pilot Program .
33 Videos of the hearings are available at the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee website.
34 T he 12 draft bills and explanatory statements are on the committee’s website linked to the majority press release at
https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/committee-releases-fy21-bills-in-effort-to-advance-process-produce-
bipartisan-results.
35 See footnote 34. See also the statement from the Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair, Senator Patrick
Leahy, at https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/minority/senate-approps-vice-chair-leahy-statement-on-the-
release-of-the-fy-2021-senate-appropriations-bills-.
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The Senate draft for Agriculture appropriations would provide $23.3 bil ion in discretionary
appropriations, an increase of $154 mil ion (+0.7%) over the regular annual FY2020
appropriation and $345 mil ion less than the House-passed bil (-1.5%) on a comparable basis
excluding the CFTC. Like the House-passed bil , the Senate draft bil general y does not include
most of the reductions proposed by the Administration.
Table 3 provides details of the Senate draft at the agency level; Table 2 summarizes it by titles of
the bil . The primary changes in the Senate draft, compared with the House-passed bil , that
comprise the $345 mil ion difference from the House bil include relatively less for the following:
 Rural e-Connectivity Pilot Program (ReConnect; -$590 million).
 Rural Development (-$127 million), mostly from less for the Rural Utilities
Service (-$83 mil ion), salaries and expenses (-$54 mil ion), and the Rural
Business Cooperative Service (-$13 mil ion), offset by more than the House bil
for the Rural Housing Service (+$23 mil ion).
 Foreign assistance (-$73 million), including less than the House bil for Food
for Peace Title II grants (-$50 mil ion) and McGovern-Dole (-$15 mil ion).
 Agricultural agencies (-$37 mil ion), including less than the House bil for the
Food Safety Inspection Service (-$18 mil ion), the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (-$13 mil ion), and the Farm Production and Conservation
mission area (-$6 mil ion).
 Food and Drug Administration (-$7 million).
The Senate draft would include more than the House-passed bil for the following:
 Domestic nutrition assistance programs; +$402 million), including more for
the base amount for WIC (+$250 mil ion) and less of a rescission from prior-year
WIC balances (+$250 mil ion), offset by relatively less than the House bil for
the Commodity Assistance Program (-$27 mil ion).
 Other appropriations (+$38 million), including more than the House bil for
various miscel aneous amounts in the General Provisions title.
 Administrative accounts (+$63 million), mostly more for accounts that were
reduced in the House-passed bil as offsets for floor amendments.
Continuing Resolution
In the absence of any enacted FY2021 appropriations on October 1, 2020, Congress passed a
continuing resolution (CR) to continue operations and prevent a government shutdown. The CR
provides funding until December 11, 2020 (P.L. 116-159, Division A).
In general, a CR continues the funding rates and conditions that were in the previous year’s
appropriation.36 The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) may prorate funding on an
annualized basis for the duration of the CR through a process known as apportionment.37 For the
first 71 days (about 19% of FY2021) through December 11, 2020, the CR

36 CRS Report R42647, Continuing Resolutions: Overview of Components and Practices.
37 For example, if a CR lasts for three months, then three-twelfths of the previous fiscal year amount may be
apportioned. See OMB, “ Apportionment of the Continuing Resolution(s) for Fiscal Year 2021 ,” October 1, 2020. See
also CRS Report RL34700, Interim Continuing Resolutions (CRs): Potential Im pacts on Agency Operations.
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link to page 17 Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

 continues the terms of the FY2020 Agriculture Appropriations Act (§101) with a
proviso for rural development in the anomalies below; and
 provides sufficient funding to maintain mandatory program levels, including for
nutrition programs (§111).38 This is similar to the approach taken in recent years.
Special provisions (anomalies) in a CR may adjust prior-year amounts or make specific
administrative changes. Nine anomalies apply specifical y to the Agriculture appropriation:39
 Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program (§116). This provision provides the
same loan levels as in FY2020 but does not provide appropriated loan subsidies.
For FY2021, the program is projected to have a negative subsidy rate, meaning
that the cost of providing loans is less than estimated repayments and fees.40
 Summer Food for Children Demonstrations (§117). This provision al ows
USDA to spend discretionary funds at a rate that the program is operational by
May 2021. Similar provisions have been part of previous CRs and include the
Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer demonstration.41
 Commodity Supplemental Food Program (§118). This provision al ows the
USDA to spend discretionary funds at a rate necessary to maintain the program’s
current caseload to distribute food to low-income seniors.
 Farm Loan Programs (§119). This provision al ows USDA to spend
discretionary funds at a rate necessary to cover any backlog of farm ownership
loan applications that were approved in FY2020 but were not able to be funded.
 Livestock Mandatory Reporting Extension (§120). This provision extends the
Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act through CR, until December 11, 2020. The
act has been reauthorized four times since it was enacted in 1999.
 U.S. Grain Standards Act Extension (§121). This provision reauthorizes
expiring parts of the otherwise permanently authorized U.S. Grain Standards Act.
It extends authority to collect fees through December 11, 2020, and reauthorizes
appropriations and the cap on fees until September 30, 2021.
 Extension of Hemp Pilot Program in 2014 Farm Bill (§122). This provision
extends the hemp pilot program from the 2014 farm bil until September 30,
2021. This extension al ows hemp production to continue under the pilot program
instead of a new hemp program established in the 2018 farm bil .42

38 T he OMB bulletin about implementing CRs (footnote 36) identified the scope of mandatory programs that were
included in Section 111 by referencing the conference report for the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 ( H.Rept. 105-217).
T hese included nearly all of the mandatory agriculture programs: SNAP, child nutrition, CCC, crop insurance, Section
32, and the dairy indemnity program.
39 For more detailed descriptions, see CRS Report R46582, Overview of Continuing Appropriations for FY2021 (P.L.
116-159).
40 OMB, President’s Budget FY 2021, “Federal Credit Supplement Spreadsheets: Direct Loans: Subsidy Rates,
Obligations, and Average Loan Size,” https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/supplemental-materials.
41 For more information, see CRS In Focus IF11633, Summer Meals for Children: An Overview of Federal Aid.
42 For comparisons of the 2014 and 2018 farm bill programs, see USDA, “Comparison of 2014 Farm Bill and 2018
Farm Bill Requirements,” https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/HempFarmBillComparison_022020.pdf.
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13

Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

 Over-the-Counter Drug Monograph User Fee Act (§123). This provision
requires that, during the CR, over-the-counter (OTC) monograph user fees are
credited to the FDA salaries and expenses account.43
 Commodity Credit Corporation (§173). This provision provides the
appropriation for CCC to reimburse the Treasury for its line of credit before
completion of a required audited report the end of the fiscal year. Without the
anomaly, CCC may have exhausted its borrowing authority in October 2020.44

43 For additional information about regulation of OT C monograph drugs, see the section “Subtitle F—Over-the-Counter
Drugs” in CRS Report R46334, Selected Health Provisions in Title III of the CARES Act (P.L. 116 -136).
44 For additional information on the CCC, see CRS Report R44606, The Commodity Credit Corporation: In Brief.
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Table 3. Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations, by Agency, FY2019-FY2021
Budget authority in mil ions of dol ars
FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
Change: FY2020 to...

P.L. 116-
COVID-
Admin.
House-
Senate
House-
Senate
Agency or major program
P.L. 116-6
94
19 Actsa
requestb
passed
draft
Enacted
passed
draft
Title I. Agricultural Programs

Departmental Administration (Table A-1)
390.4
472.8
0.8
614.7
437.8
500.7
—
-35.0
+27.9
Research, Education and Economics

Agricultural Research Service
1,684.5
1,607.1
—
1,418.0
1,464.9
1,510.1
—
-142.2
-97.0
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
1,471.3
1,527.4
—
1,590.8
1,578.3
1,538.9
—
+50.9
+11.5
National Agricultural Statistics Service
174.5
180.3
—
177.5
183.4
184.4
—
+3.1
+4.1
Economic Research Service
86.8
84.8
—
62.1
86.7
85.7
—
+1.9
+0.9
Under Secretary
0.8
0.8
—
6.8
6.1
0.8
—
+5.3
+0.0
Marketing and Regulatory Programs

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
1,014.3
1,045.9
55.0
1,035.6
1,073.0
1,060.3
—
+27.1
+14.4
Agricultural Marketing Service
160.3
188.2
45.0
148.4
190.1
188.3
—
+2.0
+0.1
Section 32 (M)
1,374.0
1,404.0
—
1,359.9
1,359.9
1,359.9
—
-44.1
-44.1
Under Secretary
0.9
0.8
—
0.9
0.8
0.8
—
+0.0
+0.0
Food Safety

Food Safety and Inspection Service
1,049.3
1,054.3
33.0
1,092.4
1,088.6
1,070.1
—
+34.2
+15.8
Under Secretary
0.8
0.8
—
0.8
0.8
0.8
—
+0.0
+0.0
Subtotal, Title I

Discretionary
6,033.9
6,163.1
133.8
6,148.0
6,110.5
6,141.0
—
-52.6
-22.1
Mandatory (M)
1,374.0
1,404.0
—
1,359.9
1,359.9
1,359.9
—
-44.1
-44.1
Subtotal
7,407.9
7,567.1
—
7,507.8
7,470.4
7,500.9
—
-96.8
-66.3
CRS-15

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FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
Change: FY2020 to...

P.L. 116-
COVID-
Admin.
House-
Senate
House-
Senate
Agency or major program
P.L. 116-6
94
19 Actsa
requestb
passed
draft
Enacted
passed
draft
Title II. Farm Production and Conservation

Farm and Commodity Programs

Business Center
216.4
203.9
—
243.6
232.2
232.5
—
+28.3
+28.6
Farm Service Agencyc
1,494.2
1,541.7
3.0
1,484.8
1,542.7
1,528.9
—
+1.0
-12.8
FSA Farm Loans: Loan Authorityd
7,987.7
8,431.0
—
8,906.7
8,932.2
9,853.2
—
+501.2
+1,422.2
Risk Management Agency
58.4
58.4
—
59.4
59.4
60.4
—
+1.0
+2.0
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (M)
15,410.6
9,959.0
—
8,716.0
8,716.0
8,716.0
—
-1,243.0
-1,243.0
Commodity Credit Corporation (M)
15,410.0
26,309.0
14,000.0e
25,553.1
25,553.1
25,553.1
—
-755.9
-755.9
Conservation Programs

Conservation Operations
819.5
829.6
—
830.2
833.8
831.9
—
+4.2
+2.3
Watershed and Flood Prevention
150.0
175.0
—
0.0
155.0
175.0
—
-20.0
+0.0
Watershed Rehabilitation Program
10.0
10.0
—
0.0
12.0
0.0
—
+2.0
-10.0
Under Secretary
0.9
0.9
—
1.1
0.9
0.9
—
+0.0
+0.0
Subtotal, Title II

Discretionary
2,748.8
2,819.0
3.0
2,618.7
2,835.5
2,829.1
—
+16.5
+10.2
Mandatory (M)
30,821.1
36,268.5
14,000.0
34,269.6
34,269.6
34,269.6
—
-1,998.9
-1,998.9
Subtotal
33,569.9
39,087.5
14,003.0
36,888.3
37,105.1
37,098.7
—
-1,982.4
-1,988.8
Title III. Rural Development

Salaries and Expenses (including transfers)f
686.8
697.8
—
761.5
761.9
707.3
—
+64.1
+9.5
Rural Housing Service
1,606.0
1,686.7
—
1,595.0
1,662.9
1,686.0
—
-23.8
-0.7
RHS Loan Authorityd
28,293.8
28,646.0
—
27,240.0
28,646.0
28,346.0
—
+0.0
-300.0
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
98.6
105.0
20.5
110.4
98.2
84.6
—
-6.8
-20.5
RBCS Loan Authorityd
1,026.4
1,088.9
1,000.0
1,500.0
1,088.9
1,438.9
—
+0.0
+350.0
CRS-16

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FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
Change: FY2020 to...

P.L. 116-
COVID-
Admin.
House-
Senate
House-
Senate
Agency or major program
P.L. 116-6
94
19 Actsa
requestb
passed
draft
Enacted
passed
draft
Rural Utilities Service
620.2g
750.3g
25.0
942.6
725.1g
642.5
—
-25.1
-107.8
RUS Loan Authorityd
8,419.9
8,401.2
—
7,518.3
8,401.2
8,401.9
—
+0.0
+0.7
Under Secretaryh
—h
0.8
—
1.0
0.8
0.8
—
+0.0
+0.0
Subtotal, Title III
3,011.7g
3,240.6g
45.5g
3,410.5
3,249.0g
3,121.2
—
+8.4
-119.4
Subtotal, RD Loan Authorityd
37,740.0
38,136.1
1,000.0
36,258.3
38,136.1
38,186.8
—
+0.0
+50.7
Title IV. Domestic Food Programs

Child Nutrition Programs (M)
23,140.8
23,615.1
8,800.0
25,040.9
25,131.4
25,111.4
—
+1,516.3
+1,496.3
WIC Program
6,075.0
6,000.0
500.0
5,451.5
5,750.0
6,000.0
—
-250.0
+0.0
SNAP, Food and Nutrition Act Programs (M)
73,476.9
67,886.3
15,910.0i
68,281.4
68,805.9
68,322.6
—
+919.7
+436.4
Commodity Assistance Programs
322.1
344.2
850.0
80.7
390.7
362.2
—
+46.5
+18.0
Nutrition Programs Administration
164.7
155.9
—
155.3
156.4
157.5
—
+0.5
+1.6
Under Secretary
0.8
0.8
—
0.8
0.8
0.8
—
+0.0
+0.0
Subtotal, Title IV

Discretionary
6,620.3
6,566.0
1,350.0
5,700.7
6,383.3
6,586.0
—
-182.7
+20.0
Mandatory (M)
96,560.0
91,436.3
24,710.0
93,309.8
93,851.9
93,368.6
—
+2,415.7
+1,932.4
Subtotal
103,180.3
98,002.3
26,060.0
99,010.5
100,235.3
99,954.7
—
+2,232.9
+1,952.3
Title V. Foreign Assistance

Foreign Agricultural Service
213.9
215.5
4.0
193.7
222.2
214.6
—
+6.7
-0.9
Food for Peace Title II, and admin. expenses
1,500.1g
1,725.1
—
0.1
1,775.1
1,725.1
—
+50.0
+0.0
McGovern-Dole Food for Education
210.3
220.0
—
0.0
235.0
220.0
—
+15.0
+0.0
CCC Export Loan Salaries
8.8
6.4
—
6.4
6.4
6.4
—
+0.0
+0.0
Office of Codex Alimentarius
4.0
4.8
—
4.8
4.8
4.8
—
+0.0
+0.0
CRS-17

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FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
Change: FY2020 to...

P.L. 116-
COVID-
Admin.
House-
Senate
House-
Senate
Agency or major program
P.L. 116-6
94
19 Actsa
requestb
passed
draft
Enacted
passed
draft
Under Secretary
0.9
0.9
—
0.9
0.9
0.9
—
+0.0
+0.0
Subtotal, Title V
1,938.0
2,172.7
4.0
205.9
2,244.4
2,171.8
—
+71.7
-0.9
Title VI. Related Agencies

Food and Drug Administration
3,080.5
3,171.5
163.0
3,220.4
3,218.3
3,211.5
—
+46.8
+40.0
Commodity Futures Trading Commissionj
[268.0]
315.0
—
226.5
304.0
[304.0]
—
-11.0
-11.0
Subtotal, Title VI
[3,348.5]
3,486.5
163.0
3,446.9
3,522.3
[3,515.5]
—
+35.8
+29.0
Title VII. General Provisions

Changes in Mandatory Programs, CHIMPSk

a. Conservation programs
[-60.2]l
-60.2
—
-60.2
-60.2
-60.2
—
+0.0
+0.0
b. Nutrition programs
+5.0
+9.0
—
+0.0
+12.0
+9.0
—
+3.0
+0.0
c. Farm Production & Conservation Bus. Ctr.
[+60.2]l
+60.2
—
+60.2
+60.2
+60.2
—
+0.0
+0.0
d. Other CHIMPS and mandatory rescissions
+10.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Subtotal, CHIMPS (Table B-1)
+15.0
+9.0
—
+0.0
+12.0
+9.0
—
+3.0
+0.0
Rescissions (discretionary)m (Table B-2)
-505.0
-1,015.1
—
-1,200.0
-1,000.0
-809.0
—
+15.1
+206.1
Other appropriations (Table B-3)

a. Emergency/disaster programs
—
535.0n
—
—
—
—
—
-535.0
-535.0
b. Water and Waste Water
75.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
c. Broadband piloto
125.0
300.0
100.0
0.0o
915.0
325.0
—
+615.0
+25.0
d. Food for Peace
216.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
e. Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
—
—
12,500.0p
—
—
—
—
—
—
f. Other appropriations
77.5
140.3
—
—
121.4
158.9
—
-18.9
+18.6
Subtotal, Other appropriations
493.5
975.3
12,600.0
0.0
1,036.4
483.9
—
+61.1
-491.4
Subtotal, Title VII
3.5
-30.8
12,600.0
-1,200.0
48.4
-316.1
—
+79.2
-285.4
CRS-18

link to page 24 link to page 24 link to page 25 link to page 34 link to page 34 link to page 35 link to page 25 link to page 24 link to page 25 link to page 25 link to page 25
FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
Change: FY2020 to...

P.L. 116-
COVID-
Admin.
House-
Senate
House-
Senate
Agency or major program
P.L. 116-6
94
19 Actsa
requestb
passed
draft
Enacted
passed
draft
Scorekeeping Adjustmentsq (

Table B-4Table B-4)
Emergency declaration in this bil
—
-535.0n
—a
—
—
—
—
+535.0
+535.0
Other scorekeeping adjustments
-404.0
-398.0
—
-424.0
-421.0
-421.0
—
-23.0
-23.0
Subtotal, Scorekeeping adjustmentsq
-404.0
-933.0
—
-424.0
-421.0
-421.0
—
+512.0
+512.0
Totals

Discretionary: Senate basis w/o CFTCj
23,032.7 [23,169.1]
14,299.3
19,680.2 [23,668.4]
23,323.4
—
+499.3
+154.3
Discretionary: House basis w/ CFTCj
[23,300.7]
23,484.1
14,299.3
19,906.7
23,972.4
[23,627.4]
—
+488.3
+143.3
Mandatory (M)
128,755.1
129,108.8
38,710.0
128,939.3
129,481.4
128,998.1
—
+372.6
-110.7
Total: Senate basis w/o CFTC
151,787.8 [152,278.0]
53,009.3
148,619.4 [153,149.9]
152,321.5
—
+871.9
+43.6
Total: House basis w/ CFTC
[152,055.8]
152,593.0
53,009.3
148,845.9
153,453.9 [152,625.5]
—
+860.9
+32.6
Source: CRS, using appropriations text and reports and unpublished CBO tables. House-passed refers to H.R. 7608, Division B. Senate draft refers to the text released
by the Senate Appropriations Committee on November 10, 2020.
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). Bracketed amounts are not in the official totals due to differing House-Senate jurisdiction for CFTC but are shown for comparison.
a. Total from four coronavirus supplemental appropriations acts (P.L. 116-123, P.L. 116-127, P.L. 116-136, P.L. 116-139), al of which was emergency spending.
Although amounts were not designated as mandatory, they are grouped here for comparison to accounts that are in the annual ap propriations. See detail in CRS In
Focus IF11491, Supplemental Appropriations for Agriculture and Related Agencies Due to COVID-19.
b. The request is based on current law and does not reflect the Administration’s various legislative proposals.
c. 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.
d. 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.
e. The CARES Act (P.L. 116-136) provided $14 bil ion of reimbursement to the CCC after a June 2020 financial statement. Alth ough it is not budget authority for
direct coronavirus support and not counted in CARES Act accounting, it is comparable to the CCC reimbursement in regular annu al appropriations.
f.
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.
CRS-19

link to page 32 link to page 32
g. Excludes a portion of the other appropriations that are provided separately in General Provisions (see Table B-3).
h. 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, and the FY2020 appropriation fu nds it as such.
i.
In addition to the specified supplemental amounts for the SNAP account in the CARES Act ( P.L. 116-136), the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (P.L. 116-
127, §1101) authorized and appropriated open-ended funding for the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program. The amount displayed does not include
the P-EBT funding.
j.
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.
k. Includes reductions (limitations and rescissions) and increases to mandatory programs that are known as CHIMPS.
l.
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 R46011, FY2020 Appropriations for Agricultural Conservation.
m. Rescissions are actions that permanently reduce a budget authority subsequent to an enacted appropriation. They score budgeta ry savings. Any rescissions from
mandatory programs are included with the CHIMPS.
n. Emergency appropriations in FY2020 include $535 mil ion for Ebola and $1.5 bil ion for the Wildfires and Hurricane Indemnity Program, which was offset with $1.5
bil ion in rescissions (Table B-3).
o. The ReConnect Broadband Pilot Program that was created in the FY2018 appropriation has been funded by separate appropriation in the General Provisions title. In
FY2019 and FY2020 it is augmented by a transfer from the Cushion of Credit account that is available outside the appropriations caps. For example, in FY2020,
appropriators direct $555 mil ion to ReConnect from $300 mil ion appropriated in General Provisions and $255 mil ion from the Cushion of Credit account. For
FY2021, the Administration requests $250 mil ion in the Rural Utilities Service account rather than through General Provisions.
p. Includes $9.5 bil ion specified in the CARES Act for payments to farmers and $3 bil ion from indefinite authority in the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act that
USDA used for the Farmers to Families Food Boxes Program.
q. “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
emergency designations in the bil .

CRS-20

Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

Other Appropriations Issues
Policy-Related Provisions
Besides setting spending authority, appropriations acts are also a vehicle for policy-related
provisions that direct executive branch actions.45 These provisions, limitations, or riders may have
the force of law if they are included in the act’s text, but their effect is general y limited to the
current fiscal year unless they amend the U.S. Code, which is rare in appropriations acts.
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.
In the past, Congress has said that committee reports and the joint explanatory statement need to
be read together to capture al of the congressional intent for a fiscal year. For example, the
explanatory statement for the FY2020 Further Consolidated Appropriations act instructs that the
earlier House and Senate reports should be read together with the conference agreement:
Congressional Directives. The statement is silent on provisions that were in both the
House Report (H.Rept. 116-107) and Senate Report (S.Rept. 116-110) that remain
unchanged by this agreement, except as noted in this statement.
The House and Senate report language that is not changed by the statement is approved
and indicates congressional intentions. The statement, while repeating some report
language for emphasis, does not intend to negate the language referred to above unless
expressly provided herein.46
COVID-19 Supplemental Appropriations in FY2020
In March and April 2020, Congress passed and the President signed four supplemental
appropriations acts in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic—designated Coronavirus
Disease 2019, or COVID-19.47 These acts in FY2020 include support for programs in the
jurisdiction of the Agriculture appropriations subcommittees. The four acts are:
1. Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L.
116-123, March 6, 2020);
2. Families First Coronavirus Response Act (P.L. 116-127, March 18, 2020);
3. CARES Act (P.L. 116-136, March 27, 2020); and
4. Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (P.L. 116-139,
April 27, 2020).
These acts together specify $36 bil ion of appropriations to programs in the jurisdiction of the
Agriculture appropriations subcommittees. In addition, the second act authorized indefinite
funding for commodity food assistance, from which the USDA has announced that it would
obligate $3 bil ion to date.48 The third act provided for $14 bil ion of reimbursement for the CCC

45 See CRS Report RL30240, Congressional Oversight Manual.
46 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, committee
print, 116th Cong., 2nd Sess., January 2020, 38-679 (Washington, DC: GPO, 2020), p. 305.
47 CRS In Focus IF11491, Supplemental Appropriations for Agriculture and Related Agencies Due to COVID-19.
48 T he Farmers to Families Food Box Program, discussed in CRS Report R46347, COVID-19, U.S. Agriculture, and
USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).
Congressional Research Service
21

link to page 7 link to page 20 Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

that, while not immediately available for obligation and not counted as COVID-19 relief, is
comparable to the regular CCC reimbursements in annual Agriculture appropriations acts and is
included in this report.
Columns labeled “COVID-19 Acts” in Table 2, Table 3, and other appendix tables summarize
these combined $53 bil ion of appropriations through the coronavirus supplemental acts. Al of
this spending is designated as emergency spending and not counted against budget caps.

Congressional Research Service
22

link to page 29 link to page 29
Appendix A. Appropriations in Administrative Accounts
Table A-1. USDA Departmental Administration Appropriations
Budget authority in mil ions of dol ars
FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
Change: FY2020 to...

P.L. 116-
COVID-
Admin.
House-
Senate
House-
Senate
Agency or major program
P.L. 116-6 94
19 Acts
request
passed
draft
Enacted
passed
draft
Office of the Secretary

Office of the Secretary
5.1
5.1
—
5.1
5.1
5.1
—
+0.1
+0.1
Assistant to the Sec. for Rural Developmenta
0.8
—

Office of Homeland Security
1.5
1.5
—
1.3
1.3
1.3
—
-0.2
-0.2
Public Partnership and Engagementb
4.7
6.2
—
2.0
6.5
6.2
—
+0.3
+0.0
Assistant Secretary for Admin.
0.9
0.9
—
0.9
0.9
0.9
—
+0.0
+0.0
Departmental Administration
22.3
21.4
—
27.2
19.5
21.5
—
-1.9
+0.1
Asst. Sec. Congressional Relations
3.9
3.9
—
3.9
3.9
3.9
—
+0.1
+0.1
Office of Communications
7.5
7.3
—
7.4
7.4
7.4
—
+0.1
+0.1
Subtotal
46.6
46.1
—
47.8
44.6
46.3
—
-1.5
+0.2
Executive Operations

Office of Chief Economist
21.3
24.0
—
20.9
21.3
23.8
—
-2.8
-0.3
Office of Hearings and Appeals
15.2
15.2
—
15.5
15.4
15.4
—
+0.2
+0.2
Office of Budget, Program Analysis
9.5
9.5
—
20.7
9.7
9.7
—
+0.1
+0.1
Subtotal
46.0
48.8
—
57.1
46.4
48.9
—
-2.4
+0.1
Other Administration

Chief Information Officer
55.6
66.6
—
142.8
59.4
66.9
—
-7.2
+0.3
Chief Financial Officer
6.0
6.0
—
11.1
6.1
6.1
—
+0.1
+0.1
CRS-23

FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
Change: FY2020 to...

P.L. 116-
COVID-
Admin.
House-
Senate
House-
Senate
Agency or major program
P.L. 116-6 94
19 Acts
request
passed
draft
Enacted
passed
draft
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
0.9
0.9
—
0.9
0.9
0.9
—
+0.0
+0.0
Office of Civil Rights
24.2
24.2
—
20.6
22.9
20.5
—
-1.3
-3.7
Office of Safety, Security, and Protection
—
—
—
25.0
23.2
25.0
—
+23.2
+25.0
Buildings and facilities
60.0
128.2
—
152.8
88.2
131.7
—
-40.0
+3.5
Hazardous materials management
3.5
4.5
—
3.5
7.5
4.5
—
+3.0
+0.0
Office of Inspector General
98.2
98.2
—
100.4
100.8
99.8
—
+2.6
+1.6
General Counsel
45.1
45.1
0.8
45.9
33.6
45.9
—
-11.6
+0.8
Office of Information Affairs
—
—
—
2.5
—
—
—
—
—
Office of Ethics
4.1
4.1
—
4.2
4.2
4.2
—
+0.1
+0.1
Subtotal
297.7
377.9
0.8
509.8
346.8
405.6
—
-31.1
+27.7
Total, Departmental Administration
390.4
472.8
0.8
614.7
437.8
500.7
—
-35.0
+27.9
Source: CRS, using appropriations text and reports and unpublished CBO tables. House-passed refers to H.R. 7608, Division B. Senate draft refers to the text released
by the Senate Appropriations Committee on November 10, 2020.
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 in the mission area. The 2018 farm bil reinstated the undersecretary position, and the FY2020 appropriation
funded it as such.
b. Formerly, this was the Office of Advocacy and Outreach.
CRS-24

link to page 30 link to page 30
Appendix B. Appropriations in General Provisions
Table B-1. General Provisions: Changes in Mandatory Program Spending (CHIMPS)
Budget authority in mil ions of dol ars
FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
Change: FY2020 to...

P.L. 116-
COVID-
Admin.
House-
Senate
House-
Senate
CHIMPS and mandatory rescissions
P.L. 116-6 94
19 Acts
request
passed
draft
Enacted
passed
draft
Farm bill programs

Farm Security Rural Investment Act
conservation programs
[-60.2]a
-60.2
—
-60.2
-60.2
-60.2
—
+0.0
+0.0
Farm to School
+5.0
+9.0
—
—
+12.0
+9.0
—
+3.0
+0.0
Subtotal, farm bill programs
+5.0
-51.2
—
-60.2
-48.2
-51.2
—
+3.0
+0.0
Other CHIMPS

Farm Production & Conservation (FPAC)
Business Center
[+60.2]a
+60.2
—
+60.2
+60.2
+60.2
—
+0.0
+0.0
Food for Progress
+10.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Total CHIMPS
+15.0
+9.0
—
+0.0
+12.0
+9.0
—
+3.0
+0.0
Source: CRS, using appropriations text and reports and unpublished CBO tables. House-passed refers to H.R. 7608, Division B. Senate draft refers to the text released
by the Senate Appropriations Committee on November 10, 2020.
a. Amounts in brackets were not in the official CBO scoring of CHIMPS. The FY2019 appropriations act 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 R46011, FY2020 Appropriations for Agricultural Conservation.
CRS-25

Table B-2. General Provisions: Rescissions from Discretionary Accounts
Budget authority in mil ions of dol ars
FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
Change: FY2020 to...

P.L. 116-
COVID-
Admin.
House-
Senate
House-
Senate
Rescissions from discretionary accounts
P.L. 116-6
94
19 Acts
request
passed
draft
Enacted
passed
draft
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for
Women, Infants, and Children
-500.0
-1,000.0
—
-1,200.0
-1,000.0
-800.0
—
+0.0
+200.0
Broadband program
—
—
—
—
—
-9.0
—
—
-9.0
Electric loan refinancing
—
-15.1
—
—
—
—
—
+15.1
+15.1
USDA unobligated balances
-5.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Total
-505.0
-1,015.1
—
-1,200.0
-1,000.0
-809.0
—
+15.1
+206.1
Source: CRS, using appropriations text and reports and unpublished CBO tables. House-passed refers to H.R. 7608, Division B. Senate draft refers to the text released
by the Senate Appropriations Committee on November 10, 2020.

CRS-26

link to page 34
Table B-3. General Provisions: Other Appropriations
Budget authority in mil ions of dol ars
FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
Change: FY2020 to...

P.L. 116-
COVID-
Admin.
House-
Senate
House-
Senate
Program
P.L. 116-6
94
19 Acts
request
passed
draft
Enacted
passed
draft
FDA seafood safety
—
—
—
—
—
1.0
—
—
+1.0
FDA buildings and facilities
—
20.0
—
—
—
—
—
-20.0
-20.0
Goodfel ow facility
—
—
—
—
—
58.4
—
—
+58.4
Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
—
—
12,500.0a
—
—
—
—
—
—
Agriculture Risk Coverage pilot
5.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Dairy Innovation
—
20.0
—
—
6.0
20.0
—
-14.0
+0.0
Mitigation banking
—
5.0
—
—
—
5.0
—
-5.0
+0.0
Conservation Reserve Program pilot
1.0
1.0
—
—
—
—
—
-1.0
-1.0
Citrus greening
8.5
8.5
—
—
8.5
8.5
—
+0.0
+0.0
Protecting Animals with Shelter Grants
—
2.0
—
—
3.0
2.0
—
+1.0
+0.0
Biocontrol Facility Feasibility Study
—
—
—
—
—
1.0
—
—
+1.0
Fruit fly quarantine payments
9.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Geographical y disadvantaged farmers
2.0
2.0
—
—
2.0
2.0
—
+0.0
+0.0
Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach
—
5.0
—
—
5.0
5.0
—
+0.0
+0.0
Water Bank
4.0
4.0
—
—
—
4.0
—
-4.0
+0.0
Rural Energy Savings Program
10.0
12.0
—
—
12.0
10.0
—
+0.0
-2.0
Agriculture Business Innovation Center
—
—
—
—
2.0
—
—
+2.0
—
Renewable Energy
—
—
—
—
10.0
—
—
+10.0
—
Maturing mortgage pilot
1.0
1.0
—
—
—
2.0
—
-1.0
+1.0
Rural microentrepreneur assistance program
3.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Water and Waste Water
75.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
CRS-27

link to page 34 link to page 34
FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
Change: FY2020 to...

P.L. 116-
COVID-
Admin.
House-
Senate
House-
Senate
Program
P.L. 116-6
94
19 Acts
request
passed
draft
Enacted
passed
draft
Waste water pilot
—
5.0
—
—
—
5.0
—
-5.0
+0.0
Broadband pilotb
125.0
300.0
100.0
—b
915.0
325.0
—
+615.0
+25.0
Distance Learning Telemedicine
16.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Rural Hospital Technical Assistance
—
1.0
—
—
2.0
—
—
+1.0
-1.0
Tribal Demonstration Projects
—
3.0
—
—
3.0
3.0
—
+0.0
+0.0
Healthy Food Financing Initiative
2.0
5.0
—
—
5.0
5.0
—
+0.0
+0.0
Healthy Fluid Milk
—
1.0
—
—
1.0
1.0
—
+0.0
+0.0
RISE grants
—
5.0
—
—
—
5.0
—
-5.0
+0.0
NIFA military veterans grants
5.0
5.0
—
—
5.0
5.0
—
+0.0
+0.0
Genome to Phenome
—
1.0
—
—
1.0
1.0
—
+0.0
+0.0
NIFA 1890 land grants, Centers of Excel ence
5.0
6.0
—
—
14.0
—
—
+8.0
-6.0
Tribal Student Scholarships
—
5.0
—
—
5.0
5.0
—
+0.0
+0.0
International Agriculture Education Fel owship
—
1.0
—
—
1.0
1.0
—
+0.0
+0.0
NOAA working group
—
—
—
—
—
1.0
—
—
+1.0
Pol inator Research Coordinator
—
0.4
—
—
0.4
—
—
+0.0
-0.4
Urban Agriculture Office
—
5.0
—
—
10.0
2.0
—
+5.0
-3.0
Food Loss Liaison
—
0.4
—
—
0.5
—
—
+0.1
-0.4
Food for Peace
216.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Food for Progress
6.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Child Nutrition training pilot
—
—
—
—
—
1.0
—
—
+1.0
Nutrition Assistance Program Study
—
6.0
—
—
—
—
—
-6.0
-6.0
Micro-grants for Food Security
—
5.0
—
—
10.0
5.0
—
+5.0
+0.0
School breakfast expansion
—
5.0
—
—
15.0
—
—
+10.0
-5.0
CRS-28

link to page 34 link to page 34 link to page 35
FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
Change: FY2020 to...

P.L. 116-
COVID-
Admin.
House-
Senate
House-
Senate
Program
P.L. 116-6
94
19 Acts
request
passed
draft
Enacted
passed
draft
Subtotal, other spending provisions
493.5
440.3
12,600.0
0.0
1,036.4
483.9
—
+596.1
+43.6
Disaster/Emergency programs

Ebola prevention and treatment
—
+535.0
—
—
—
—
—
-535.0
-535.0
Rescission of unobligated emergency funding
—
-1,500.0
—
—
—
—
—
+1,500.0
+1,500.0
WHIP (Wildfire, Hurricanes Indemnity Program)
—
+1,500.0
—
—
—
—
—
-1,500.0
-1,500.0
Subtotal, disaster/emergency programs
—
+535.0c
—
—
—
—
—
-535.0
-535.0
Total
493.5
975.3c
12,600.0
0.0
1,036.4
483.9
—
+61.1
-491.4
Source: CRS, using appropriations text and reports and unpublished CBO tables. House-passed refers to H.R. 7608, Division B. Senate draft refers to the text released
by the Senate Appropriations Committee on November 10, 2020.
Note: Excludes supplemental appropriations outside the annual appropriations act.
a. Includes $9.5 bil ion specified in the CARES Act for payments to farmers and $3 bil ion from indefinite authority in the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act that
USDA used for the Farmers to Families Food Boxes Program.
b. The ReConnect Broadband Pilot Program that was created in the FY2018 appropriation has been funded by separate appropriation in the General Provisions title. In
FY2019 and FY2020 it is augmented by a transfer from the Cushion of Credit account that is available out side the appropriations caps. For example, in FY2020,
appropriators direct $555 mil ion to ReConnect from $300 mil ion appropriated in General Provisions and $255 mil ion from the Cushion of Credit account. For
FY2021, the Administration requests $250 mil ion in the Rural Utilities Service account rather than through General Provisions.
c. Appropriations designated as emergency spending in FY2020 and are not counted against the discretionary spending limit include $535 mil ion for Ebola and $1.5
bil ion for WHIP, which was offset with $1.5 bil ion in rescissions (see Table B-4).

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Table B-4. General Provisions: Scorekeeping Adjustments
Budget authority in mil ions of dol ars
FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
Change: FY2020 to...

P.L. 116-
COVID-
Admin.
House-
Senate
House-
Senate
Scorekeeping adjustmenta
P.L. 116-6
94
19 Acts
request
passed
draft
Enacted
passed
draft
Loan program negative subsidiesb

Rural housing negative subsidy
-135.0
-125.0
—
-130.0
-130.0
-130.0
—
-5.0
-5.0
Rural community facilities negative subsidy
-72.0
-72.0
—
-88.0
-88.0
-88.0
—
-16.0
-16.0
Rural elec. & tele. loan negative subsidy
-173.0
-176.0
—
-175.0
-175.0
-175.0
—
+1.0
+1.0
Rural water & waste loan negative subsidy
-2.0
-3.0
—
-2.0
-2.0
-2.0
—
+1.0
+1.0
Ag credit loan negative subsidy
-23.0
-23.0
—
-27.0
-27.0
-27.0
—
-4.0
-4.0
Subtotal, negative subsidies
-405.0
-399.0
—
-422.0
-422.0
-422.0
—
-23.0
-23.0
Denali Commission
—
—
—
-2.0
—
—
—
+0.0
+0.0
Child nutrition equipment grants
1.0
1.0
—
—
1.0
1.0
—
+0.0
+0.0
Emergency designations not counted in al ocation
—
-535.0c
—d
—
—
—
—
+535.0
+535.0
Total
-404.0
-933.0
—
-424.0
-421.0
-421.0
—
+512.0
+512.0
Source: CRS, using unpublished CBO tables of scorekeeping adjustments. House-passed refers to H.R. 7608, Division B. Senate draft refers to the text released by the
Senate Appropriations Committee on November 10, 2020.
a. “Scorekeeping adjustments” are not necessarily appropriated items and may not be shown in Appropriations Committee tables. They are part of the official CBO
score (accounting) of the bil .
b. A negative subsidy for a loan program general y occurs when the interest rate and/or fees charged to the borrowers are more t han 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, p. 8).
c. Appropriations designated as emergency spending in FY2020 include $535 mil ion for Ebola and $1.5 bil ion for the Wildfires and Hurricane Indemnity Program,
which was offset with $1.5 bil ion in rescissions of prior-year emergency appropriations (see Table B-3).
d. Amounts in the coronavirus supplemental appropriations acts were al designated as emergency spending and are not noted further here because the acts faced no
budget constraint.

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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.49 A
sequestration rate is the percentage reduction that is subtracted from an appropriated budget
authority to achieve an intended budget goal.
Sequestration is triggered as a budget enforcement mechanism when federal spending exceeds
statutory budget goals.50 Sequestration is currently authorized by the Budget Control Act (BCA,
P.L. 112-25). For discretionary accounts, sequestration continues through FY2021. For mandatory
accounts, Congress amended the BCA to continue sequestration through FY2029.
OMB computes sequestration rates annual y. Table C-1 shows the rates of sequestration that have
been announced and the total amounts of budget authority that have been cancel ed from accounts
in Agriculture appropriations.
Table C-1. Summary of Sequestration on Agriculture Accounts
(mil ion dol ars)
Budget
Authority
Sequestered
Sequestration
Subject to
Budget
Fiscal Year
Ratea
Sequestrationb
Authorityb

Discretionary Spending
2013
5.0%
23,064
1,153

Mandatory Spending
2013
5.1%
13,987
713
2014
7.2%
14,610
1,052
2015
7.3%
15,795
1,153
2016
6.8%
26,748
1,819
2017
6.9%
24,429
1,686
2018
6.6%
19,938
1,316
2019
6.2%
24,682
1,530
2020
5.9%
23,352
1,378
2021
5.7%
29,841
1,701
Source: CRS, compiled from OMB, Reports to the Congress on the Joint Committee Reductions, various fiscal years.
Available for FY2018-FY2021, at https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/legislative/sequestration-report s-orders and
for FY2013-FY2017, at https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/omb/legislative_reports/sequestration.
a. Sequestration rates listed here are for nonexempt, nondefense accounts as determined by OMB.
b. Totals are computed by CRS for accounts and programs that are in the jurisdiction of Agriculture
appropriations.

49 CRS Report R43411, The Budget Control Act of 2011: Legislative Changes to the Law and Their Budgetary Effects.
50 CRS Report R42972, Sequestration as a Budget Enforcement Process: Frequently Asked Questions.
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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-FY2020, BBAs in 2013, 2015, 2018, and 2019 (P.L. 113-67, P.L. 114-74, P.L. 115-
123, and P.L. 116-37, respectively) have avoided sequestration on discretionary spending. These
BBAs raised the discretionary budget caps that were placed in statute by the BCA and al owed
Congress to enact larger appropriations than would have been al owed. The enacted
appropriations in FY2014-FY2020 met the spending limitations of the revised budget caps, and
therefore no sequestration on discretionary accounts was necessary.
For FY2021, the BBA of 2019 (P.L. 116-37) similarly provides a higher discretionary cap that
may avoid sequestration (see “Budget Caps and Subcommittee Al ocations”).51
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 annual y to certain accounts.
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 2013.52
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 2015.53
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)).54
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).55

51 CRS Insight IN11148, The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019: Changes to the BCA and Debt Limit.
52 CBO, Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, December 11, 2013, https://www.cbo.gov/publication/44964.
53 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. T he 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.
54 CBO, Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, February 8, 2018, https://www.cbo.gov/publication/53556.
55 CBO, Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019, July 23, 2019, https://www.cbo.gov/publication/55478.
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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)56 and the Conservation Reserve Program.57 Some prior
legal obligations in the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation58 and the farm commodity programs
may be exempt59 as determined by OMB.60
General y 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.61
Implementation of Sequestration
Nonexempt mandatory spending in FY2021 is to be reduced by a 5.7% sequestration rate (Table
C-1) and thus would be paid at 94.3% of what would otherwise have been provided. This is
projected to result in a reduction of about $1.7 bil ion from mandatory agriculture accounts in
FY2021, including over $1.3 bil ion from the CCC that has $23 bil ion of budget authority
subject to sequestration.
For example, for the farm commodity programs that support farm income such as the Agricultural
Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs,62 payments to farmers are computed by a
regular formula authorized in the farm bil , 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.

56 2 U.S.C. §905(h).
57 2 U.S.C. §905(g)(1)(A).
58 2 U.S.C. §905(g)(2).
59 2 U.S.C. §906(j).
60 Some administrative expenses may be subject to sequestration, and therefore programs that are otherwise exempt
may have a relatively small sequestration-eligible amount compared to their total budget authority. T his has been the
case for the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, SNAP, child nutrition programs, and WIC.
61 CRS Report R42050, Budget “Sequestration” and Selected Program Exemptions and Special Rules.
62 CRS In Focus IF11161, 2018 Farm Bill Primer: ARC and PLC Support Programs.
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Appendix D. Action on Agriculture Appropriations,
FY1996-FY2021
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 12/20/2019 O P.L. 116-94
R45974
2021
7/6/2020
7/9/2020
7/24/2020
—
11/10/2020a
—
—
—
—
R46437
Source: CRS.
Notes: E = enacted as standalone appropriation (eight times over 25 years); O = omnibus appropriation (15
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
Pol ing in Senate Committee.
a. Senate committee action for FY2021 refers to a draft released by the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Congressional Research Service
34

Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 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
Amber Nair
Renee Johnson
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Rena Mil er
Conservation
Megan Stubbs
Crop insurance
Stephanie Rosch
Disaster assistance
Megan Stubbs
Farm commodity programs
Randy Schnepf
Farm loans and credit
Jim Monke
Food and Drug Administration
Agata Dabrowska
Food safety, general y
Amber Nair
Renee 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
Congressional Research Service
35

Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should n ot be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in
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copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

Congressional Research Service
R46437 · VERSION 6 · UPDATED
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