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Updated September 27, 2023
Farm Bill Primer: Programs Without Baseline Beyond FY2023
In preparation for the next farm bill, Congress may give
be assumed to continue as if it did not expire. This is the
consideration to a subset of 20 programs in the 2018 farm
case for long-standing farm bill programs. Other programs,
bill (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, P.L. 115-334)
such as some of the newer, smaller farm bill programs, are
that do not have a budget baseline for funding beyond
not eligible to continue in the baseline because they (a)
FY2023. These 20 programs received $886 million of
have mandatory spending less than a minimum $50 million
mandatory funding during the five years of the 2018 farm
scoring threshold in the last year of the farm bill or (b) were
bill (out of total mandatory spending of $428 billion across
not provided baseline to continue by the authorizing and
all farm bill programs). Programs that receive mandatory
budget committees.
funding do not require annual discretionary appropriations.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects future
From a budgetary perspective, many programs are assumed
government spending in its official budget baselines but has
to continue beyond the end of their authorization. That is,
not published a list of expiring farm bill programs without a
they have a continuing baseline beyond the end of a farm
continuing baseline. To compile this list, CRS analyzed the
bill, which gives them built-in future funding if
CBO score of the 2018 farm bill, current CBO baseline
policymakers decide that the programs should continue, or,
projections, and the statutory text of the law, looking for
if not, the baseline can be reallocated or used as an offset
programs that received mandatory funding but do not have
for deficit reduction. Reauthorizing farm bill programs
baseline beyond FY2023.
without baseline would have a positive score (cost) and
likely need to be offset by reductions elsewhere.
Based on this analysis, 20 programs across 7 of the 12 titles
of the 2018 farm bill received $886 million of mandatory
Why Some Programs Have Baseline, Others Not
spending authority that do not have a continuing baseline
Under budget rules, a program with mandatory spending
after FY2023 (Figure 1, Table 1).
authority in the last year of its authorization generally may
Figure 1. 2018 Farm Bill Programs Without a Budget Baseline After FY2023, by Title
Source: Created by CRS using CRS Report R45425, Budget Issues That Shaped the 2018 Farm Bil , Table 3, table notes b and c.
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Notes: Programs in P.L. 115-334 are identified as having mandatory budgetary outlays during FY2019-FY2023 but no budget authority beyond
FY2023. See CBO, H.R. 2, Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, December 11, 2018, at https://www.cbo.gov/publication/54880.
Table 1. 2018 Farm Bill Programs Without Baseline
without a budget baseline than for previous farm bill
reauthorizations (Table 2).
Section
Name of Provision
1706 Commodity Program Implementation
During past reauthorizations, some affected programs
2405 Grassroots Source Water Protection Program
received mandatory funding for the farm bill but not
permanent baseline. In other cases, programs received
2406 Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive
permanent baseline by consolidating them into a larger
umbrella program to exceed the $50 million scoring
2408 Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot
threshold, and required extra funding in the 10-year score.
6504 Rural Economic Development Program
• Of the 37 programs with no baseline after the 2008 farm
7117 Scholarships for 1890s Institutions
bill expired, the 2014 farm bill provided 29 of the
programs with $6.2 billion over FY2014-FY2018.
7212 Urban Agriculture
7603 Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research
• Of the 39 programs with no baseline after the 2014 farm
bill expired, the 2018 farm bill provided 23 of the
9002 Biobased Markets Program
programs with $1.6 billion over FY2019-FY2023, of
9003 Biorefinery Assistance
which nine programs received permanent baseline
costing an additional $1.5 billion over FY2024-FY2028.
9005 Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels
Table 2. Time Series of Programs Without Baseline
10103 Organic Production and Market Data Initiatives
Farm Bill
Number Expiration
$ million
10104 Organic Certification/Trade Tracking and Data
10105 National Organic Certification Cost-Share
2008 farm bil
37
FY2012
$9,131a
10109 Multiple Crop and Pesticide Use Survey
2014 farm bil
39
FY2018
$2,824
12102 Sheep Production and Marketing Grants
2018 farm bil
19
FY2023
$876
12602 Pima Cotton Trust Fund
Source: CRS, using CRS In Focus IF10780, Farm Bil Primer: Programs
Without Baseline Beyond FY2018, and CRS Report R41433, Programs
12603 Wool Apparel Manufacturers Trust Fund
Without a Budget Baseline at the End of the 2008 Farm Bil .
12604 Wool Research and Promotion
a. At enactment in 2008, the five-year estimated cost of affected
programs was $9.131 bil ion. In 2012, the estimated cost to
12605 Emergency Citrus Disease Research Trust Fund
reauthorize the programs was as high as $14 bil ion.
Source: CRS, using CRS Report R45425, Budget Issues That Shaped
the 2018 Farm Bil , Table 3, table notes b and c.
During the one-year extension of the farm bill in 2013 (P.L.
Notes: Programs in P.L. 115-334 are identified as having mandatory
112-240, Title VII), programs without a budget baseline did
budgetary outlays during FY2019-FY2023 but no budget authority
not continue in FY2013 because no additional mandatory
beyond FY2023. See CBO, H.R. 2, Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018,
funding was provided during the extension. For an
December 11, 2018, at https://www.cbo.gov/publication/54880.
extension to provide mandatory funding for programs
without a baseline, the new spending authority would come
Types of Programs Affected
at a cost (score) to the bill, and the extension would not be
budget neutral without offsets. Congress decided not to
As a share of the $428 billion, five-year cost of mandatory
extend mandatory funding for programs without a baseline.
spending at enactment of the 2018 farm bill, programs
While the one-year extension included new authorizations
without a baseline are relatively small: 0.2% of the
of appropriations for these programs for FY2013, those
projected total 2018 farm bill mandatory spending, or 0.9%
authorizations went unfunded in appropriations acts.
of a subtotal that excludes nutrition programs. However, the
impact of programs without a baseline varies by title of the
For the next farm bill reauthorization, a smaller number of
farm bill. The one program in the rural development title
programs have no baseline and comprise a smaller dollar
receiving mandatory funding is affected. For the research
amount than in previous reauthorizations. This and the
title, 34% of mandatory funding for the title in the 2018
availability of continuing baseline for more programs may
farm bill is affected. By comparison, less than 0.5% of
make it easier for Congress to balance some budget
funding in the farm commodities title is affected.
considerations in the next farm bill than in the 2014 and
2018 farm bills.
For most of these programs, authority and/or funding to
operate the programs expires at the end of FY2023.
Comparison with Past Farm Bills
Farm bill programs without a budget baseline have been an
issue since the end of the 2008 farm bill. As Congress
prepares for the next farm bill, there are fewer programs
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Farm Bill Primer: Programs Without Baseline Beyond FY2023
CRS Products
CRS In Focus IF12047, Farm Bill Primer: What Is the Farm Bill?
Jim Monke, Specialist in Agricultural Policy
CRS In Focus IF12233, Farm Bill Primer: Budget Dynamics
IF12115
CRS Report R47659, Expiration of the Farm Bill
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 not 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
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