FY2016 Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations: In Brief

The Agriculture appropriations bill funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), except for the Forest Service. It also funds the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and—in even-numbered fiscal years—the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

Agriculture appropriations include both mandatory and discretionary spending. Discretionary amounts, though, are the primary focus during the bill’s development since mandatory amounts generally are set by authorizing laws such as the farm bill.

The largest discretionary spending items are the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); agricultural research; FDA; rural development; foreign food aid and trade; farm assistance programs; food safety inspection; conservation; and animal and plant health programs. The main mandatory spending items are the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), child nutrition, crop insurance, and the farm commodity and conservation programs paid by the Commodity Credit Corporation.

The FY2016 Agriculture Appropriations bill was enacted as part of an omnibus appropriation on December 18, 2015 (H.R. 2029). Agriculture appropriations bills were reported in both chambers, but neither went to the floor (, S. 1800). The enacted appropriation provides $21.750 billion for discretionary amounts in the Agriculture appropriation, an increase of $925 million over FY2015 (+4.4%), and $1.1 billion more than the House bill or $990 million more than the Senate bill. The omnibus was enacted using a higher budget allocation in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-74) than the reported bills had during their development. Mandatory spending carried in the Agriculture appropriation is roughly $119 billion, making the FY2016 total about $141 billion.

Among the notable policy-related provisions, the FY2016 appropriation repeals certain country-of-origin provisions, continues to prohibit horse slaughter facility inspections and the import of processed poultry from China for certain nutrition programs. It continues providing flexibility from whole grain and sodium requirements in the child nutrition programs, and addresses the formation of future dietary guidelines. It restores the use of commodity certificates for the marketing loan program, including not being subject to payment limits. However, it does not change the conservation compliance requirements, nor does it limit the applicability of certain tobacco regulations for e-cigarettes, unlike the House markup.

FY2016 Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations: In Brief

February 23, 2016 (R43938)

Action on FY2016 Agriculture Appropriations

The FY2016 Agriculture Appropriations bill was enacted as part of an omnibus appropriation on December 18, 2015 (P.L. 114-113). Agriculture appropriations bills were reported in both chambers, but neither went to the floor (H.R. 3049, S. 1800). The enacted appropriation provides $21.750 billion for discretionary amounts in the Agriculture appropriation, an increase of $925 million over FY2015 (+4.4%), and $1.1 billion more than the House-reported bill or $990 million more than the Senate-reported bill. The omnibus follows a higher budget allocation1 in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-74) than was available to develop the reported bills.

Mandatory spending carried in the Agriculture appropriation is roughly $119 billion, making the FY2016 total about $141 billion. The appropriation also contains policy-related provisions.

The initial "302(b)" allocation for discretionary spending by the House Agriculture appropriations subcommittee was $20.650 billion (H.Rept. 114-97), $175 million less than FY2015.2 The House subcommittee approved a draft bill on June 18, 2015. The full House Appropriations Committee reported the bill on July 8, 2015, by voice vote (H.R. 3049, H.Rept. 114-205).

The initial Senate subcommittee allocation was $20.510 billion (S.Rept. 114-55), effectively $110 million greater than the House bill since Senate jurisdiction for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) rests with the Financial Services appropriations subcommittee. The Senate Agriculture subcommittee approved a draft bill on July 14. The full Senate Appropriations Committee reported the bill on July 16, 2015, by a vote of 28-2 (S. 1800, S.Rept. 114-82).

The White House released its FY2016 budget request on February 2, 2015,3 together with the USDA budget summary4 and the more detailed budget justification.5 See Table 1 for amounts by title; Table 2 for amounts by agency; and Table 3 for a timeline of action since 1995.

Major Differences in FY2016

Among spending differences in the FY2016 appropriation that exceed $10 million from FY2015 (Table 2)—and that were provided mostly with the extra allocation in the Bipartisan Budget Agreement—the enacted appropriation provides the Rural Housing Service $301 million more than FY2015 (+28%) for rental assistance grants and $25 million more for housing revitalization and community facilities grants. For the Rural Utilities Service, rural water and waste disposal grants rise $57 million (+12%). For international food aid, an extra $250 million is provided for Food for Peace grants. The Agricultural Research Service receives $178 million more than FY2015 (+15%), mostly for buildings and facilities, and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture receives $37 million more, mostly for Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (+7.7%). Implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act is bolstered by an increase of $104 million, part of the $132 million boost for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Emergency conservation, watershed, and forestry programs receive $157 million more than in FY2015, some of it offset by a disaster declaration for budget accounting. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service receives $23 million more than in FY2015 (+3%). Among reductions, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) receives $273 million less than in FY2015. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program, a change to a mandatory program, is reduced by $73 million more than its reduction last year.

Among the notable policy-related provisions discussed this year, the enacted appropriation repeals certain country-of-origin provisions. It continues to prohibit horse slaughter facility inspections and the import of processed poultry from China for certain nutrition programs. It continues providing flexibility from whole grain and sodium requirements in the child nutrition programs and addresses the formation of future dietary guidelines. It restores the use of commodity certificates for the marketing loan program, including not being subject to payment limits. However, it does not change the conservation compliance requirements, nor does it limit the applicability of certain tobacco regulations for e-cigarettes, unlike the House markup.

Scope of Agriculture Appropriations

Figure 1. Agriculture Appropriations

(FY2016 budget authority in billions of dollars)

Source: CRS. Does not show some agencies under $0.5 billion that together are offset by reductions; excludes Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Notes: SNAP = Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; CCC = Commodity Credit Corp.; FCIC = Federal Crop Insurance Corp.; WIC = Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children; CSFP = Commodity Supplemental Food Program; FDA = Food and Drug Admin.; FSA = Farm Service Agency; RMA = Risk Management Agency; FSIS = Food Safety and Inspection Service; APHIS = Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The Agriculture appropriations bill funds all of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), except for the Forest Service. It also funds FDA, and, in even-numbered fiscal years, the enacted bill carries the CFTC.6

Agriculture appropriations include both mandatory and discretionary spending. But discretionary amounts are the primary focus during the bill's development, since mandatory amounts generally are set by authorizing laws such as the farm bill.

The scope of the appropriation can be shown by the major allocations in the FY2016 appropriation (Figure 1). The largest discretionary spending items are WIC, agricultural research, FDA, rural development, foreign food aid and trade, farm assistance programs, food safety inspection, conservation, and animal and plant health.

The main mandatory spending items are the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); child nutrition; crop insurance; and the Commodity Credit Corporation, which pays for the farm commodity, conservation, and other mandatory programs.

Recent Trends in Agriculture Appropriations

The stacked bars in Figure 2 represent the discretionary spending authorized for each title in the 10 years since FY2007. The total of the positive stacked bars is higher than the official "302(b)" discretionary spending limit (the line) because of the budgetary offset from negative amounts in the General Provisions title and other scorekeeping adjustments. General Provisions are negative mostly because of limits placed on certain mandatory programs, which are scored as savings or "Changes in Mandatory Program Spending (CHIMPS);" see near the end of Table 2 for examples.

Increases in the use of CHIMPS and other tools to offset discretionary appropriations have ameliorated recent reductions in budget authority in some of the years since FY2010. For example, the official "302(b)" discretionary total for the bill has been given credit for declining 6.7% from FY2010 to FY2016 ($23.3 billion to $21.75 billion, Figure 2), while the total of Titles I-VI has declined only 4.6% over that same period ($23.6 billion to $22.5 billion). The effect is less pronounced in FY2016 than it was in FY2011-FY2015 when the offsets were larger. The offset in FY2016 is relatively smaller, in part, because of additional spending in the General Provisions title for foreign food aid and emergency programs.

Figure 2. Discretionary Agriculture Appropriations, by Title, Since FY2007

Source: CRS.

Notes: Fiscal year budget authority. Includes only regular annual appropriations. Includes CFTC regardless of jurisdiction.

On an inflation-adjusted basis, FY2016 Agriculture appropriations are 16% below their peak in FY2010 (Figure 3). When expressed in constant dollars, the official FY2016 appropriation has risen 7.2% above the recent low of the FY2013 post-sequestration level, and the subtotal of Titles I-VI has risen 6.1% since FY2013. Since FY2014, on an inflation-adjusted basis, the total Agricultural appropriation has been roughly constant, on par with FY2012 and in between the amounts in FY008 and FY2009.

Over time, changes by title of the bill generally have been proportionate to changes in the total discretionary Agriculture appropriation, though some areas have sustained real increases while others have declined (apart from the peak in 2010). Agencies with sustained real increases since FY2007 include the Food and Drug Administration and CFTC (Related Agencies) and, to a lesser extent, foreign assistance. Agencies with real decreases since 2007 include discretionary conservation programs and general agricultural programs. Rural development generally had decreased over the period through FY2015, though the FY2016 appropriation may have reversed that trend. Domestic nutrition programs in FY2016 are higher on a real basis than in FY2007 but are lower than in all of the other intervening years.

Figure 3. Inflation-Adjusted Discretionary Agriculture Appropriations Since FY2007

Source: CRS.

Notes: Fiscal year budget authority, adjusted for inflation by CRS using the gross domestic product price deflator. Includes only regular appropriations. Includes CFTC regardless of jurisdiction.

Table 1. Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations, by Title, FY2015-FY2016.

(budget authority in millions of dollars)

 

FY2015

FY2016

 

Title of Agriculture Appropriations Act

P.L. 113-235

Admin. Request

H. Cmte. H.R. 3049

S. Cmte. S. 1800

P.L. 114-113

Change from FY2015 to FY2016 Enacted

I: Agricultural Programs

30,446.6

27,401.7

26,830.1

26,838.2

23,174.9

-7,271.7

-23.9%

Mandatory (M)

23,659.7

20,120.7

20,120.7

20,120.7

16,154.6

-7,505.1

-31.7%

Discretionary

6,786.9

7,281.0

6,709.4

6,717.5

7,020.3

+233.4

+3.4%

II: Conservation Programs

859.3

1,032.1

839.8

856.1

863.8

+4.4

+0.5%

III: Rural Development

2,582.4

2,758.4

2,645.6

2,675.9

2,950.0

+367.6

+14.2%

IV: Domestic Food Programs

110,190.9

112,348.0

110,075.1

110,140.4

109,797.0

-393.9

-0.4%

Mandatory (M)

103,096.7

105,146.4

103,128.6

103,145.4

102,958.1

-138.6

-0.1%

Discretionary

7,094.1

7,201.6

6,946.5

6,995.0

6,838.9

-255.3

-3.6%

V: Foreign Assistance

1,848.3

1,812.5

1,802.3

1,864.1

1,868.5

+20.1

+1.1%

VI: Food and Drug Administration

2,597.3

2,743.5

2,627.3

2,637.8

2,729.6

+132.3

+5.1%

Commodity Futures Trading Commission

[250.0]

322.0

245.0

[250.0]a

250.0

+0.0

+0.0%

VII: General Provisions: CHIMPS & rescissions

-802.0

-1,036.0

-832.0

-908.0

-865.0

-63.0

+7.9%

General Provisions: Other appropriations

122.6

0.0

2.0

6.6

556.1

+433.5

+353.6%

Scorekeeping adjustments

-398.0

-331.0

-336.0

-335.0

-332.0

+66.0

-16.6%

Subtract disaster declaration in this bill

-116.0

-130.0

-14.0

Discretionary: Senate basis w/o CFTC

20,575.0

21,462.2

[20,405.0]

20,510.0

[21,500.0]

+925.0

+4.5%

Discretionary: House basis w/ CFTC

[20,825.0]

21,784.2

20,650.0

[20,760.0]

21,750.0

+925.0

+4.4%

Mandatory (M)

126,756.5

125,267.1

123,249.3

123,266.1

119,112.7

-7,643.7

-6.0%

Total: House basis w/ CFTC

147,581.5

147,051.3

143,899.3

144,026.1

140,862.7

-6,718.7

-4.6%

Source: CRS, using referenced bill text, appropriations committee report tables, and unpublished Congressional Budget Office (CBO) tables.

Notes: Amounts are nominal budget authority in millions of dollars. Amounts are discretionary authority unless labeled otherwise. Amounts do not include supplemental appropriations that were enacted outside the annual appropriation. [Bracketed amounts] are not in the official totals due to differing House-Senate jurisdiction for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

a. From S. 1910, the committee-reported Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill.

Table 2. Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations, by Agency, FY2013-FY2016

Budget authority in millions of dollars

FY2013

FY2014

FY2015

FY2016

 

Agency or Major Program

P.L. 113-6 post-sequ.a

P.L. 113-76

P.L. 113-235

Admin. Request

H. Cmte. H.R. 3049

S. Cmte. S. 1800

P.L. 114-113

Change from FY2015 to FY2016 Enacted

Title I: Agricultural Programs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Departmental Administration

531.3

526.1

364.5

456.1

353.6

362.1

373.2

+8.7

+2.4%

Research, Education and Economics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agricultural Research Service

1,016.9

1,122.5

1,177.6

1,397.4

1,167.5

1,136.8

1,355.9

+178.3

+15.1%

National Institute of Food & Agriculture

1,142.0

1,277.1

1,289.5

1,503.1

1,284.5

1,293.7

1,326.5

+37.0

+2.9%

National Agricultural Statistics Service

166.6

161.2

172.4

180.3

161.2

168.1

168.4

-4.0

-2.3%

Economic Research Service

71.4

78.1

85.4

86.0

78.1

85.4

85.4

+0.0

+0.0%

Under Secretary, Research, Education, Econ.

0.8

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

-0.0

-0.6%

Marketing and Regulatory Programs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service

761.4

824.9

874.5

859.0

874.1

879.6

897.6

+23.1

+2.6%

Agricultural Marketing Service

75.7

81.3

82.4

84.4

82.0

82.4

82.5

+0.0

+0.0%

Section 32 (M)

1,049.6

1,107.0

1,284.0

1,425.0

1,425.0

1,425.0

1,425.0

+141.0

+11.0%

Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards

37.3

40.3

43.0

44.1

43.0

43.0

43.1

+0.0

+0.0%

Under Secretary, Marketing and Regulatory

0.8

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

-0.0

-0.6%

Food Safety

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food Safety & Inspection Service

977.3

1,010.7

1,016.5

1,011.6

1,011.6

1,013.6

1,014.9

-1.6

-0.2%

Under Secretary, Food Safety

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

+0.0

+0.0%

Farm and Commodity Programs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Farm Service Agencyb

1,503.9

1,592.2

1,603.3

1,579.1

1,576.9

1,574.8

1,595.1

-8.2

-0.5%

FSA Farm Loans: Loan Authorityc

4,575.7

5,527.3

6,402.1

6,402.1

6,402.1

6,402.1

6,402.1

-0.0

-0.0%

Risk Management Agency Salaries & Exp.

69.1

71.5

74.8

76.9

74.0

74.8

74.8

+0.0

+0.0%

Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (M)d

9,514.5

9,502.9

8,930.5

8,175.2

8,175.2

8,175.2

7,858.0

-1,072.5

-12.0%

Commodity Credit Corporation (M)d

11,018.5

12,538.9

13,444.7

10,519.9

10,519.9

10,519.9

6,871.1

-6,573.6

-48.9%

Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agr.

0.8

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

+0.0

+0.0%

Subtotal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mandatory (M)

21,582.7

23,149.1

23,659.7

20,120.7

20,120.7

20,120.7

16,154.6

-7,505.1

-31.7%

Discretionary

6,356.2

6,789.0

6,786.9

7,281.0

6,709.4

6,717.5

7,020.3

+233.4

+3.4%

Subtotal

27,938.8

29,938.1

30,446.6

27,401.7

26,830.1

26,838.2

23,174.9

-7,271.7

-23.9%

Title II: Conservation Programs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conservation Operations

766.8

812.9

846.4

831.2

832.9

855.2

850.9

+4.4

+0.5%

Watershed & Flood Prevention

200.0

+0.0

+0.0%

Watershed Rehabilitation Program

13.6

12.0

12.0

0.0

6.0

12.0

+0.0

+0.0%

Under Secretary, Natural Resources

0.8

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

+0.0

+0.0%

Subtotal

781.2

825.8

859.3

1,032.1

839.8

856.1

863.8

+4.4

+0.5%

Title III: Rural Development

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salaries and Expenses (including transfers)e

613.0

657.4

678.2

685.6

679.2

682.7

682.9

+4.6

+0.7%

Rural Housing Service

1,031.1

1,279.6

1,298.4

1,394.7

1,368.7

1,367.2

1,616.4

+318.1

+24.5%

RHS Loan Authorityc

27,335.1

27,408.1

27,421.5

27,407.4

27,496.8

27,483.0

27,496.8

+75.3

+0.3%

Rural Business-Cooperative Servicef

114.2

130.2

103.2

138.7

87.0

91.5

90.5

-12.8

-12.4%

RBCS Loan Authorityc

953.7

1,022.8

984.5

993.6

984.5

994.2

979.3

-5.2

-0.5%

Rural Utilities Service

520.8

501.6

501.7

538.4

509.7

533.7

559.3

+57.6

+11.5%

RUS Loan Authorityc

8,849.4

7,514.5

7,464.1

7,934.2

7,464.1

8,710.6

8,210.6

+746.5

+10.0%

Under Secretary, Rural Development

0.8

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

-0.0

-0.6%

Subtotal

2,279.9

2,569.7

2,582.4

2,758.4

2,645.6

2,675.9

2,950.0

+367.6

+14.2%

Subtotal, RD Loan Authorityc

37,138.2

35,945.4

35,870.1

36,335.2

35,945.4

37,187.8

36,686.7

+816.7

+2.3%

Title IV: Domestic Food Programs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Child Nutrition Programs (M)

19,913.2

19,288.0

21,300.2

21,587.3

21,507.43

21,524.4

22,149.7

+849.6

+4.0%

WIC Program

6,522.2

6,715.8

6,623.0

6,623.0

6,484.0

6,513.0

6,350.0

-273.0

-4.1%

SNAP, Food & Nutrition Act Programs (M)

77,285.4

82,169.9

81,837.6

83,693.1

81,653.2

81,662.1

80,849.4

-988.2

-1.2%

Commodity Assistance Programs

243.7

269.7

278.5

288.3

288.3

288.3

296.2

+17.7

+6.4%

Nutrition Programs Administration

132.7

141.3

150.8

155.6

141.3

151.8

150.8

+0.0

+0.0%

Office of Under Secretary

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

-0.0

-0.6%

Subtotal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mandatory (M)

97,171.9

101,432.9

103,096.7

105,146.4

103,128.6

103,145.4

102,958.1

-138.6

-0.1%

Discretionary

6,926.1

7,152.7

7,094.1

7,201.6

6,946.5

6,995.0

6,838.9

-255.3

-3.6%

Subtotal

104,098.0

108,585.6

110,190.9

112,348.0

110,075.1

110,140.4

109,797.0

-393.9

-0.4%

Title V: Foreign Assistance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foreign Agricultural Service

163.1

177.9

181.4

191.6

184.4

187.2

191.6

+10.1

+5.6%

Food for Peace Title II, and admin. Exp.

1,362.0

1,468.7

1,468.5

1,402.5

1,419.5

1,468.5

1,468.5g

+0.0

+0.0%

Local and regional food procurement

20.0

+0.0

+0.0%

McGovern-Dole Food for Education

174.5

185.1

191.6

191.6

191.6

201.6

201.6

+10.0

+5.2%

CCC Export Loan Salaries

6.3

6.7

6.7

6.7

6.7

6.7

6.7

+0.0

+0.0%

Subtotal

1,705.9

1,838.5

1,848.3

1,812.5

1,802.3

1,864.1

1,868.5g

+20.1

+1.1%

Title VI: Related Agencies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food and Drug Administration

2,386.0

2,560.7

2,597.3

2,743.5

2,627.3

2,637.8

2,729.6

+132.3

+5.1%

Commodity Futures Trading Commissionh

[194.0]

215.0

[250.0]

322.0

245.0

[250.0]

250.0

+0.0

+0.0%

Subtotal

2,386.0

2,775.7

2,597.3

3,065.5

2,872.3

2,637.8

2,979.6

 

 

Title VII: General Provisions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reductions in Mandatory Programs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a. Environmental Quality Incentives Program

-279.0

-272.0

-136.0

-373.0

-189.0

-264.0

-209.0

-73.0

+53.7%

b. Watershed Rehabilitation Program

-165.0

-153.0

-69.0

-69.0

-64.0

-68.0

-68.0

+1.0

-1.4%

c. Conservation Stewardship Program

-7.0

-3.0

-2.0

+7.0

-100.0%

d. Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

-117.0

-119.0

-122.0

-125.0

-125.0

-125.0

-125.0

-3.0

+2.5%

e. Biorefinery Assistance Program

-40.7

-16.0

-26.0

-19.0

-3.0

-18.8%

f. Biomass Crop Assistance Program

-2.0

-12.0

-20.0

-20.0

-18.0

+900.0%

g. Rural Energy for America Program

-16.0

+0.0

+0.0%

h. Cushion of Credit (Rural Development)

-180.0

-172.0

-179.0

-154.0

-154.0

-182.0

-179.0

+0.0

+0.0%

i. Section 32

-110.0

-189.0

-121.0

-292.0

-216.0

-216.0

-216.0

-95.0

+78.5%

j. Other CHIMPS and rescissions

-42.0

-8.0

-133.0

+6.0

+5.0

+138.0

-103.8%

Subtotal, CHIMPS

-893.0

-953.7

-785.0

-1,016.0

-798.0

-875.0

-831.0

-46.0

+5.9%

Rescissions (discretionary)

-25.3

-33.3

-17.0

-20.0

-34.0

-33.0

-34.0

-17.0

+100.0%

Other appropriations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a. Disaster/Emergency programs

83.9

116.0

2.0

273.0

+157.0

+135.3%

b. Other appropriations

48.6

106.6

6.6

6.6

283.1g

+276.5

Subtotal, Other appropriations

132.5

106.6

122.6

0.0

2.0

6.6

556.1

+433.5

+353.6%

Total, General Provisions

-785.9

-880.4

-679.4

-1,036.0

-830.0

-901.4

-308.9

+370.5

-54.5%

Scorekeeping Adjustmentsi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disaster declaration in this bill

-116.0

-130.0

-14.0

Other scorekeeping adjustments

-129.0

-191.0

-398.0

-331.0

-336.0

-344.0

-332.0

+66.0

-16.6%

Subtotal

-129.0

-191.0

-514.0

-331.0

-336.0

-335.0

-462.0

+52.0

-10.1%

Totals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discretionary: Senate basis w/o CFTC

19,520.4

[20,665.0]

20,575.0

21,462.2

[20,405.0]

20,510.0

[21,500.0]

+925.0

+4.5%

Discretionary: House basis w/ CFTC

[19,714.4]

20,880.0

[20,825.0]

21,784.2

20,650.0

[20,760.0]

21,750.0

+925.0

+4.4%

Mandatory (M)

118,754.6

124,582.0

126,756.5

125,267.1

123,249.3

123,266.1

119,112.7

-7,643.7

-6.0%

Total: House basis w/ CFTC

138,469.0

145,462.0

147,581.5

147,051.3

143,899.3

144,026.1

140,862.7

-6,718.7

-4.6%

Source: CRS, using referenced bill text, appropriations committee report tables, and unpublished CBO tables.

Notes: Amounts are budget authority in millions of dollars and are in nominal dollars. Amounts do not include supplemental appropriations outside the annual appropriation. Amounts are discretionary authority unless labeled otherwise; (M) indicates that the account is mandatory authority (or primarily mandatory authority). [Bracketed amounts] are not in the official totals due to differing House-Senate jurisdiction for CFTC but are shown for comparison.

a. Amounts for FY2013 are at the post-sequestration level from the USDA FY2013 Operating Plan, at http://www.dm.usda.gov/foia/docs/USDA_Operating_Plan.pdf.

b. Includes regular FSA salaries and expenses, plus transfers for farm loan program salaries and administrative expenses. Also includes farm loan program loan subsidy, State Mediation Grants, Dairy Indemnity Program (mandatory funding), and Grassroots Source Water Protection Program. Does not include appropriations to the Foreign Agricultural Service for export loans and P.L. 480 administration that are transferred to FSA.

c. Loan authority is the amount of loans that can be made or guaranteed with a loan subsidy; it is not added in the budget authority subtotals or totals.

d. Includes Rural Development salaries and expenses, and transfers from the three rural development agencies for salaries and expenses. Amounts for the agencies thus reflect program funds for loans and grants.

e. Amounts for the Rural Business-Cooperative Service are before the rescission from the Cushion of Credit account, unlike in Appropriations committee tables. The rescission is included with the changes in mandatory program spending (CHIMPS), as classified by CBO, which allows the RBCS subtotal to remain positive.

f. Commodity Credit Corporation and Federal Crop Insurance Corporation each receive an indefinite appropriation ("such sums as necessary"). Estimates for appropriations may not reflect actual outlays.

g. In addition to the FY2016 appropriation for Food for Peace Title II grants in Title V ($1.466 billion), an extra $250 million was appropriated under General Provisions. The combined total for Food for Peace Title II grants is therefore $1.716 billion, and the effective Title V total is $2.118 billion for FY2016.

h. Jurisdiction for CFTC is in the House agriculture appropriations subcommittee and the Senate financial services appropriations subcommittee. After FY2008, CFTC is carried in enacted Agriculture appropriations in even-numbered fiscal years, always in House Agriculture markup and never in Senate Agriculture markup. [Bracketed amounts] are not in the official totals due to differing House-Senate jurisdiction for CFTC but are shown for comparison (e.g., to S. 1910 in FY2016).

i. "Scorekeeping adjustments" are not necessarily appropriated items and may not be shown in appropriations committee tables, but are part of the official CBO score (accounting) of the bill. They predominantly include "negative subsidies" in loan program accounts and adjustments for disaster designations in the bill.

Table 3. Congressional Action on Agriculture Appropriations Since FY1995

 

House Action

Senate Action

Final Appropriation

 

Fiscal Year

Subcmte.

Cmte.

Floor

Subcmte.

Cmte.

Floor

Enacteda

Public Law

CRS Report

1995

5/26/1994

6/9/1994

6/17/1994

6/22/1994

6/23/1994

7/20/1994

9/30/1994

E

P.L. 103-330

IB94011

1996

6/14/1995

6/27/1995

7/21/1995

9/13/1995

9/14/1995

9/20/1995

10/21/1995

E

P.L. 104-37

95-624

1997

5/30/1996

6/6/1996

6/12/1996

7/10/1996

7/11/1996

7/24/1996

8/6/1996

E

P.L. 104-180

IB96015

1998

6/25/1997

7/14/1997

7/24/1997

7/15/1997

7/17/1997

7/24/1997

11/18/1997

E

P.L. 105-86

97-201

1999

6/10/1998

6/16/1998

6/24/1998

6/9/1998

6/11/1998

7/16/1998

10/21/1998

O

P.L. 105-277

98-201

2000

5/13/1999

5/24/1999

6/8/1999

6/15/1999

6/17/1999

8/4/1999

10/22/1999

E

P.L. 106-78

RL30201

2001

5/4/2000

5/16/2000

7/11/2000

5/4/2000

5/10/2000

7/20/2000

10/28/2000

E

P.L. 106-387

RL30501

2002

6/6/2001

6/27/2001

7/11/2001

Polled outb

7/18/2001

10/25/2001

11/28/2001

E

P.L. 107-76

RL31001

2003

6/26/2002

7/26/2002

7/23/2002

7/25/2002

2/20/2003

O

P.L. 108-7

RL31301

2004

6/17/2003

7/9/2003

7/14/2003

7/17/2003

11/6/2003

11/6/2003

1/23/2004

O

P.L. 108-199

RL31801

2005

6/14/2004

7/7/2004

7/13/2004

9/8/2004

9/14/2004

12/8/2004

O

P.L. 108-447

RL32301

2006

5/16/2005

6/2/2005

6/8/2005

6/21/2005

6/27/2005

9/22/2005

11/10/2005

E

P.L. 109-97

RL32904

2007

5/3/2006

5/9/2006

5/23/2006

6/20/2006

6/22/2006

2/15/2007

Y

P.L. 110-5

RL33412

2008

7/12/2007

7/19/2007

8/2/2007

7/17/2007

7/19/2007

12/26/2007

O

P.L. 110-161

RL34132

2009

6/19/2008

Polled out

7/17/2008

3/11/2009

O

P.L. 111-8

R40000

2010

6/11/2009

6/18/2009

7/9/2009

Polled out

7/7/2009

8/4/2009

10/21/2009

E

P.L. 111-80

R40721

2011

6/30/2010

Polled out

7/15/2010

4/15/2011

Y

P.L. 112-10

R41475

2012

5/24/2011

5/31/2011

6/16/2011

Polled out

9/7/2011

11/1/2011

11/18/2011

O

P.L. 112-55

R41964

2013

6/6/2012

6/19/2012

Polled 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

Source: CRS.

a. E = Enacted as stand-alone appropriation (9 times over 22 years); O = Omnibus appropriation (11 times); Y = Year-long continuing resolution (2 times).

b. A procedure that permits a Senate subcommittee to transmit a bill to its full committee without a formal markup session. See CRS Report RS22952, Proxy Voting and Polling in Senate Committee.

Author Contact Information

[author name scrubbed], Specialist in Agricultural Policy ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])

Key Policy Staff

Area of Expertise

Name

Phone

Email

Agricultural appropriations generally

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Agricultural research

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Agricultural Marketing Service

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Agricultural trade

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Commodity Futures Trading Commission

Rena Miller

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Conservation

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Dietary guidelines

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Disaster programs

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Domestic food assistance

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Farm Service Agency, CCC

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Food and Drug Administration

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Food Safety Modernization Act / FDA

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Food safety: FSIS / meat and poultry inspection

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Foreign food aid

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Admin.

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Rural development

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Footnotes

1.

See, CRS Report R42388, The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction, for context on procedures.

2.

The FY2015 Agriculture appropriation ($20.575 billion) was based on Senate jurisdiction for CFTC and needs to be increased by the CFTC appropriation ($250 million) to be comparable for House jurisdiction ($20.825 billion).

3.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB), FY2016 Budget of the U.S. Government, at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget. Details are in the Appendix, at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Appendix. The request for FDA is in the Appendix for the Department of Health and Human Services, and CFTC is with Other Independent Agencies.

4.

USDA, FY2016 USDA Budget Summary, at http://www.obpa.usda.gov/budsum/fy16budsum.pdf.

5.

USDA, FY2016 USDA Budget Explanatory Notes, at http://www.obpa.usda.gov/fy16explan_notes.html.

6.

Jurisdiction for CFTC appropriations differs between the chambers. Since FY2008, CFTC is marked up in the House Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee and in the Senate Financial Services and General Government subcommittee. The enacted appropriation is carried in Agriculture appropriations in even-numbered fiscal years, and in Financial Services appropriations in odd-numbered fiscal years.