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INSIGHTi
Funding for Agriculture and Forestry in the
Build Back Better Act
November 19, 2021
Title I of the House-passed Build Back Better Act (BBBA; H.R. 5376) would increase spending within
the jurisdiction of the House Agriculture Committee by $81.7 billion over the 10-year period FY2022-
FY2031 (Table 1). The increase in spending is allowed under budget reconciliation instructions provided
in S.Con.Res. 14.
This amount does not include $10 billion of increases through the BBBA for child nutrition programs that
are within the jurisdiction of the House Education and Labor Committee and the Senate Agriculture
Committee. It also does not include funding in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58),
such as $2.9 billion for rural broadband and agricultural watersheds, and other funding for forestry.
In the BBBA, forestry programs would receive about $27 billion to support climate change and wildfire
reduction objectives. Agricultural conservation programs also would receive about $27 billion. Rural
development programs would receive about $18 billion, including for rural electricity transition to clean
or renewable energy, biofuels infrastructure and programs, and rural drinking water programs.
Economically distressed farm loan borrowers would receive debt relief, estimated to add $7 billion to an
existing $6 billion of debt relief and assistance in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA; P.L. 117-2) that
has been blocked by the courts because of limitations on race. Agricultural research programs would
receive $2 billion, with half for research facilities at universities and the other half divided among an
assortment of research and education grant programs.
Congressional Research Service
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IN11805
CRS INSIGHT
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Congressional Research Service
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Table 1. Agriculture and Forestry Provisions in the Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376)
($ in millions, FY2022-FY2031)
Subtitle of Title I (Agriculture)
Total Amount
Subtitle B: Forestry
National Forest System Restoration and Fuels Reduction Projects (§11001)
17,100
Non-Federal Land Forest Restoration and Fuels Reduction Projects and Research (§11002)
6,000
State and Private Forestry Conservation (§11003)
3,850
Administrative Costs (§11005)
200
Subtotal
27,150
Subtitle F: Conservation
Additions to Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Regional Conservation Partnership
Program, Conservation Stewardship Program, and Agricultural Conservation Easement
Program (§15002)
21,077
Soil Conservation Assistance (§15001)
5.048
Conservation Technical Assistance, Carbon Sequestration and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Quantification Program, Regional Climate Hubs, and Administrative Costs (§15003)
950
Subtotal
27,075
Subtitle C, Part 1: Rural Development
Rural Electric Cooperatives Clean Energy Transition (§12007)
9,700
Rural Energy for America Program (REAP, §12005, $1,965 mil ion), Biofuels Infrastructure
and Product Market Expansion (§12006, $960 mil ion), and Rural Energy Savings Program
(§12004, $200 mil ion)
3,125
Rural Electric Loans for Generation from Renewable Resources (§12003)
2,880
Rural Water Grants for Lead Remediation (§12002, $970 mil ion) and Rural Water
Programs for Colonias, Insular Areas, Tribal Communities (§12001, $97 mil ion)
1,067
Rural Partnership Program (§12008, $970 mil ion) and Administrative Costs
1,523
Subtotal
18,295
Subtitle C, Part 2: Agricultural Credit
Farm Debt Relief and Loan Modifications (§12101)
11,676
Offset: Rescinding Debt Relief in P.L. 117-2, Title I, §1005
-5,029
Assistance for Underserved Farmers (§12102)
1,384
Offset: Rescinding Outreach in P.L. 117-2, Title 1, §1006
-1,010
Subtotal
7,021
Subtitle D: Research, Urban Agriculture (§13001)
Research Facilities Act grants
1,000
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research ($210 mil ion), Agriculture and Food
Research Initiative ($210 mil ion), and Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education ($120
mil ion)
540
Other Agricultural Research Programs
460
Subtotal
2,000
Congressional Research Service
3
Subtitle E: Miscellaneous
Farm and Food Worker Relief Grants (§14002)
200
Office of Inspector General (§14001)
5
Subtotal
205
Total
81,746
Sources: CRS, using Congressional Budget Office, “Estimated Budgetary Effects of Title I (Agriculture), H.R. 5376,”
November 15, 2021; Rules Committee Print 117-18; and P.L. 117-2.
Notes: Sorted by amount and subtitle and organized for comparative detail. Subtitle A is definitions only.
Author Information
Jim Monke
Specialist in Agricultural Policy
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