Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021 R46437

Agriculture and Related Agencies:
June 30, 2021
FY2021 Appropriations
Jim Monke
The Agriculture appropriations bill funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) except for
Specialist in Agricultural
the U.S. Forest Service. It also funds the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and—in even-
Policy
numbered fiscal years—the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

Agriculture appropriations include both mandatory and discretionary spending. Discretionary

amounts, though, are the primary focus during the bill’s development. The largest discretionary
spending items are the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); agricultural
research; rural development; FDA; foreign food assistance and trade; farm assistance loans and salaries; food safety
inspection; animal and plant health programs; and technical assistance for conservation programs.
A full-year FY2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 116-260) was enacted on December 27, 2020, with Agriculture
appropriations in Division A. The fiscal year had begun on October 1, 2020, under a series of five continuing resolutions that
generally continued FY2020 funding for the first three months of the fiscal year.
During the regular procedural cycle for development of the annual appropriation, the House passed a four-bill minibus
appropriation on July 24, 2020, with Agriculture appropriations as Division B, which included the text of a committee -
reported bill for agriculture. The Senate Appropriations Committee did not formally introduce a bill and released a draft
measure and explanatory statement on November 10, 2020.
Separate from the regular FY2020 annual appropriation, Congress passed six supplemental appropriations acts in response to
the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which included funding for various accounts in the jurisdiction of
Agriculture appropriations. All of this supplemental funding was designated as emergency spending and not subject to the
budget caps that limit appropriations.
The enacted regular FY2021 appropriation provides $23.4 billion in discretionary appropriations, an increase of $219 million
(+0.9%) over the FY2020 appropriation (on a comparable Senate jurisdiction basis that does not include the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission [CFTC]). The discretionary total using the House jurisdiction would be $23.7 billion, counting
the CFTC (as shown in the figure). These amounts are about $280 million less than the House-passed bill and $65 million
more than the Senate draft. Mandatory spending that is carried in the appropriations act increased $52 billion (+40%) over
FY2020, largely as a result of coronavirus supplemental assistance acts that were enacted separately.
The primary changes that comprise the $219 million increase from the FY2020 levels include an increase of $231 million for
the rural broadband ReConnect program, $119 million more for agricultural research grants and salaries, $91 million more
for domestic nutrition assistance, $74 million more for various agriculture agencies, $43 million more for the Food and Drug
Administration, $31 million more for foreign food assistance, $52 million more for various other programs, and a $635
million emergency supplemental for Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (AQI). These increases largely were offset by a
reduction of $157 million from agricultural research buildings and facilities, a $635 million emergency declaration for the
AQI appropriation, and $270 million more of various rescissions and scorekeeping adjustments than in FY2020.
Generally speaking, the House-passed bill, the Senate draft, and the enacted appropriation do not include most of the
reductions proposed by the Trump Administration, which had requested $19.9 billion for discretionary-funded accounts
within the jurisdiction of Agriculture appropriations subcommittees. The Trump Administration’s request would have been a
reduction of $3.6 billion from FY2020 (-15%), including to foreign food assistance (-$1.97 billion); domestic nutrition
assistance (-$1.06 billion); and agricultural research, rural development, regulatory, and farm production and conservation
agencies (-$530 million).

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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

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

Source: Congressional Research Service.
Notes: Incorporates amounts from General Provisions with the agencies. House jurisdiction basis including CFTC.
Does not show agencies under $0.5 bil ion. 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.

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Status of FY2021 Agriculture Appropriations
A full-year FY2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 116-260) was enacted on December
27, 2020, with Agriculture appropriations in Division A. The fiscal year had begun on October 1,
2020, under a series of five continuing resolutions that general y continued FY2020 funding for
the first three months of the fiscal year.
During the regular procedural cycle for the annual appropriation, the House passed a four-bil
minibus appropriation (H.R. 7608) on July 24, 2020, with Agriculture appropriations as Division
B, which included the text of a committee-reported bil for agriculture (H.R. 7610). The Senate
Appropriations Committee did not formal y introduce a bil and released a draft measure and
explanatory statement on November 10, 2020 (Table 1). See Figure 1 for a timeline comparison.
Table 1. Status of FY2021 Agriculture Appropriations

House Action
Senate Action

Administration
Continuing
Final
Request
Subcmte.
Cmte.
Floor
Subcmte.
Cmte.
Floor
Resolutions
Appropriation
2/10/2020
7/6/2020
7/9/2020
7/24/2020
—
11/10/2020
—
10/1/2020
12/27/2020
OMB Budget
P.L. 116-159 until
Appendix
Drafta
H.R. 7610
H.R. 7608
Draftb
P.L. 116-260
12/11/2020
USDA
Voice vote
H.Rept.
Division B
Division A
FDA
116-446
Vote of
P.L. 116-215 until
H.Cmte.Print
CFTC
12/18/2020
Voice vote
224-189
43-749, Book I
FCA
P.L. 116-225 until
12/20/2020
P.L. 116-226 until
12/21/2020
P.L. 116-246 until
12/28/2020
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 at https://appropriations.house.gov/legislation/agriculture-subcommittee-
legislative-activity.
b. The Senate Appropriations Committee draft is at https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/committee-
releases-fy21-bil s-in-effort-to-advance-process-produce-bipartisan-results.
The enacted FY2021 appropriation provides $23.4 bil ion in discretionary appropriations, an
increase of $219 mil ion (+0.9%) over the regular annual FY2020 appropriation (on a comparable
basis that does not include the Commodity Futures Trading Commission [CFTC]).1 This is about
$280 mil ion less than the House-passed bil and $65 mil ion more than the Senate draft (Table
2). Mandatory spending that is carried in the appropriations act increased $52 bil ion (+40%) over
FY2020, largely as a result of coronavirus supplemental assistance acts that were enacted
separately.

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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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

Table 2. Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations, FY2020-FY2021
Budget authority in mil ions of dol ars (discretionary unless stated otherwise)

FY2020
FY2021
Change from FY2020
to FY2021 enacted
Title of Agriculture
P.L. 116-
Admin.
House-
Senate
P.L. 116-
Appropriations Act
94
request
passed
draft
260
$
%
Discretionary

Senate basis, w/o CFTC
[23,169.1]
19,680.2
[23,668.4]
23,323.4
23,388.4
+219.3
+0.9%
House basis, w/ CFTC
23,484.1
19,906.7
23,972.4
[23,627.4]
[23,692.4]
+208.3
+0.9%
Mandatory
129,108.8
128,939.3
129,481.4
128,998.1
181,020.7
+51,911.9
+40.2%
Total: Senate basis
152,278.0
148,619.4
153,149.9
152,321.5
204,409.1
+52,131.2
+34.2%
Total: House basis
152,593.0
148,845.9
153,453.9
152,625.5
204,713.1
+52,120.2
+34.2%
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.
Excludes coronavirus supplemental appropriations acts, except as incorporated into mandatory appropriations.
Figure 1. 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.
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Other CRS Resources for Agricultural Appropriations

CRS In Focus IF11491, Supplemental Appropriations for Agriculture and Related Agencies Due to COVID-19

CRS Report R46681, USDA Nutrition Assistance Programs: Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

CRS Report R46488, USDA Domestic Food Assistance Programs: FY2020 Appropriations

CRS Report R44606, The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC)

CRS Report R45422, U.S. International Food Assistance: An Overview

CRS Report R46728, FY2021 Appropriations for Agricultural Conservation

CRS In Focus IF11452, Staffing Trends in the USDA Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) Mission Area

CRS In Focus IF11262, USDA’s ReConnect Broadband Pilot Program

CRS Report R44576, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Budget: Fact Sheet
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 2). 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 2).
The federal budget process treats discretionary and mandatory spending differently:3
 Discretionary spending is controlled by annual appropriations acts and receives
most of the attention during the appropriations process. The annual budget
resolution4 process sets spending limits for discretionary appropriations. Agency
operations (salaries and expenses) and many grant programs are discretionary.
 Mandatory spending5 is carried in the appropriation and 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 FY2021 appropriation (P.L. 116-260), the discretionary amount is 12% ($24 bil ion) of the
$205 bil ion total (on a House jurisdiction basis that includes CFTC). Mandatory spending carried

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.
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in the act comprised $181 bil ion, about 88% of the total, which is higher than usual because of
the large supplemental spending from coronavirus assistance acts.
Within the discretionary total, the largest spending items are WIC, rural development, agricultural
research, FDA, foreign food aid and trade, farm assistance loans and salaries, animal and plant
health programs, food safety inspection, 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
Figure 2. Scope of Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations
Budget authority in bil ions of dol ars

Source: CRS.
Notes: Incorporates amounts from General Provisions with the agencies. House jurisdiction basis including
CFTC. Does not show agencies under $0.5 bil ion. 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 Admin istration; 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.

9 See CRS Report RS20129, Entitlements and Appropriated Entitlements in the Federal Budget Process.
10 See CRS Report R44606, The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC).
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

Recent Trends in Agriculture Appropriations
In the past 10 years, discretionary Agriculture appropriations were the lowest in FY2013 and have
gradual y increased 20% over eight years. These historical measures may be tempered by
inflation adjustments, as shown in the dotted line in Figure 3. In inflation-adjusted dollars, the
Agriculture appropriations total is 1.3% less in FY2021 than it was a decade ago, 4.6% higher
than the low in FY2013, and 3.9% less than the recent inflation-adjusted high in FY2018.
Changes within titles general y have been proportionate to changes in the overal bil , though
some areas, such as FDA (related agencies), have relative increases.
The total of the positive stacked bars in Figure 3 is the budget authority for agencies in Titles I-
VI of the act. (In FY2018, USDA reorganization affected the placement of some programs
between Titles I and II, most noticeably the Farm Service Agency). In most years, the cumulative
appropriation for the six titles is higher than the official discretionary spending al ocation (the
blue line) because of budgetary offset from negative amounts in Title VII (general provisions) and
other negative scorekeeping adjustments. These negative offsets mostly are due to rescissions of
prior-year unobligated funds and, before FY2018, limits placed on mandatory programs.
Figure 3. Trend in 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.
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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.
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 did not report a budget resolution to
develop the regular appropriations bil s.
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

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.
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FY2021 is the last year with budget caps under the BCA. After 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 4).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
The FY2021 budget cap of $627 bil ion for nondefense spending is about 1% greater than the cap
that was used to write the FY2020 appropriations.
Figure 4. 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 was $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 bil s. The discretionary al ocation for
Agriculture was $23.33 bil ion, an increase of nearly 1% above FY2020.

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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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
For accounts in the jurisdiction of the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, the
Administration’s budget requested $19.9 bil ion, a $3.6 bil ion reduction from FY2020 (-15%;
Table 3, Figure 3).23
The primary changes in the Trump Administration’s request compared with what Congress
enacted in FY2020 included 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
proposed rescinding more from unspent WIC balances than was done by the
enacted FY2020 General Provisions (-$200 mil ion), which contributed 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
have increased competitive research (+$175 mil ion) and created separate
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

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.
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 .
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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 have increased rural development administration (+$64
mil ion net) and created 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 were offset by proposed increases to the following:
 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 have created an Office of Safety, Security and Protection (+$25 mil ion)
and an Office of Information Affairs (+$2.5 mil ion). It would have reduced 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

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.
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.
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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 have provided $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 did not include most of the reductions
proposed by the Administration and was $4.07 bil ion greater than the Administration’s request.
Table 3 provides details of the House-passed bil at the agency level. The primary changes in the
bil that comprise the $488 mil ion increase, compared to the annual enacted FY2020
appropriation, included increases to the following:
 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 included reductions to the following:
 Domestic nutrition assistance programs (-$183 million, -3%), mostly from the
WIC program, although the Commodity Assistance Program would have risen.
 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%).

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.
32 See CRS In Focus IF11262, USDA’s ReConnect Broadband Pilot Program .
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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
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 with the House.35 Hereinafter,
references to the Senate Agriculture appropriations bil refer to the Senate Appropriations
Committee majority draft bil and its accompanying draft explanatory statement.
The Senate draft for Agriculture appropriations would have provided $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 did not
include most of the reductions proposed by the Administration.
Table 3 provides details of the Senate draft at the agency level. The primary changes in the
Senate draft compared to the House bil that comprised the $345 mil ion reduction included
relatively less than the House bil 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 for the Food
Safety Inspection Service (-$18 mil ion), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (-$13 mil ion), and Farm Production and Conservation (-$6 mil ion).
 Food and Drug Administration (-$7 million).
The Senate draft would have included 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.

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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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 first
CR provided funding until December 11, 2020 (P.L. 116-159, Division A). Four subsequent,
shorter continuing resolutions (P.L. 116-215, P.L. 116-225, P.L. 116-226, and P.L. 116-246)
continued the terms of the first CR until December 28, 2020. A final consolidated appropriations
act (P.L. 116-260) was signed on December 27, which supplanted the last CR.
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
 §101 of P.L. 116-159 continued the terms of the FY2020 Agriculture
Appropriations Act with a proviso for rural development in the anomalies below.
 §111 of P.L. 116-159 provided sufficient funding to maintain mandatory program
levels, including for nutrition programs (as done in to previous years’ CRs).38
Special provisions (anomalies) in a CR may adjust prior-year amounts or make specific
administrative changes. Nine anomalies in the first CR (P.L. 116-159) applied specifical y to the
Agriculture appropriation:39
 Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program (§116). This provision provided the
same loan levels as in FY2020 but did 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 owed
USDA to spend discretionary funds at a rate so that the program was operational
by May 2021. Similar provisions have been part of previous CRs and included
the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer demonstration.41
 Commodity Supplemental Food Program (§118). This provision al owed 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 owed 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.

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.
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 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.
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

 Livestock Mandatory Reporting Extension (§120). This provision extended
the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act for the duration of the CR. The act had
been reauthorized four times since it was enacted in 1999.42
 U.S. Grain Standards Act Extension (§121). This provision reauthorized
expiring parts of the otherwise permanently authorized U.S. Grain Standards Act.
It extended authority to collect fees and reauthorized appropriations.43
 Extension of Hemp Pilot Program in 2014 Farm Bill (§122). This provision
extended the hemp pilot program from the 2014 farm bil until September 30,
2021. This extension al owed hemp production to continue under the pilot
program instead of a new hemp program established in the 2018 farm bil .44
 Over-the-Counter Drug Monograph User Fee Act (§123). This provision
required that, during the CR, over-the-counter (OTC) monograph user fees were
credited to the FDA salaries and expenses account.45
 Commodity Credit Corporation (§173). This provision provided the
appropriation used by the 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
2020.46
Consolidated Appropriations Act
A full-year FY2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 116-260) was enacted on December
27, 2020, with Agriculture appropriations in Division A. The joint explanatory statement was
initial y published in the Congressional Record,47 and it was later republished as a House
committee print.48
The enacted FY2021 Agriculture appropriation provides $23.4 bil ion in discretionary
appropriations, an increase of $219 mil ion (+0.9%) over the regular annual FY2020
appropriation (on a comparable basis that does not include the CFTC). This is about $280 mil ion
less than the House-passed bil and $65 mil ion more than the Senate draft.
Mandatory spending for accounts that are regularly carried in the appropriations act increased to
$181 bil ion in FY2021, an increase of $52 bil ion (+40%) over FY2020. The increase was
largely as a result of coronavirus supplemental assistance acts that had been enacted separately.49
These mandatory amounts do not affect the discretionary appropriations that are set in the
Consolidated Appropriations Act.

42 T he Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act was extended to September 30, 2021, in P.L. 116-260, Division O, §401.
43 T he U.S. Grain Standards Act was reauthorized through September 30, 2025, in P.L. 116-216 on December 11, 2020.
44 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.
45 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).
46 For additional information on the CCC, see CRS Report R44606, The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC).
47 U.S. Congress, Congressional Record, vol. 166, no. 218 (December 21, 2020), Book III.
48 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, committee print on
H.R. 133/P.L. 116-260, 117th Cong., 1st sess., March 2021, 43-749 (Washington, DC: GPO, 2021).
49 For context, see CRS Report R46681, USDA Nutrition Assistance Programs: Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic,
and CRS In Focus IF11764, U.S. Agricultural Aid in Response to COVID-19.
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Table 3 provides details of the enacted appropriation at the agency level. The primary changes
that comprise the $219 mil ion increase from FY2020 levels include an increase in budget
authority for the following:
 Rural e-Connectivity Pilot Program (ReConnect; +$231 million, +77%), to
expand rural broadband.50 This is in the General Provisions title.
 Agricultural research (+$124 million), mostly ARS salaries and expenses
(+$77 mil ion, +5%) and grant support for NIFA (+$42 mil ion, +3%).51
 Domestic nutrition assistance programs (+$91 mil ion, +1.4%), mostly for
commodity assistance programs.
 Agricultural agencies (+$74 million), including more for FPAC (+$27 mil ion,
+13%), FSIS (+$21 mil ion, +2%), and APHIS (+$21 mil ion, +2%).
 Food and Drug Administration (+$43 million, +1.4%).
 Foreign assistance (+$31 million, +1.4%), including more for Food for Peace
grants (+$15 mil ion, +0.9%) and McGovern-Dole (+$10 mil ion, +4.5%).
 Other appropriations (+$52 million, +37%) for various amounts in the General
Provisions title (not including the ReConnect program above; see Table B-3).
 Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (AQI, +$635 million), a supplemental
amount to replace lost user fees at ports of entry during the pandemic.
Changes in the enacted appropriation also included reductions from FY2020 levels for the
following:
 Agricultural research building and facilities (-$157 million, -81%).
 Ebola preparation (-$535 million), a supplemental amount in FY2020.
 Rescissions (-$247 mil ion), mostly from a greater rescission of unspent
authority from WIC than in FY2020 (see Table B-2).
 Scorekeeping Adjustments (-$123 million), mostly from increasing the
emergency declaration over FY2020 levels by the amount that AQI in FY2021
exceeded the Ebola supplemental in FY2020 (see Table B-4).

50 See CRS In Focus IF11262, USDA’s ReConnect Broadband Pilot Program .
51 See CRS Report R46341, Federal Research and Development (R&D) Funding: FY2021 .
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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 from FY2020
to FY2021 enacted
P.L. 116- P.L. 116-
Admin.
House-
Senate
P.L. 116-
Agency or major program
6
94
requesta
passed
draft
260
$
%
Title I. Agricultural Programs

Departmental Admin. (Table A-1)
390.4
472.8
614.7
437.8
500.7
480.2
+7.4
+1.6%
Research, Education and Economics

Agricultural Research Service
1,684.5
1,607.1
1,418.0
1,464.9
1,510.1
1,527.5
-79.6
-5.0%
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
1,471.3
1,527.4
1,590.8
1,578.3
1,538.9
1,570.1
+42.7
+2.8%
National Agricultural Statistics Service
174.5
180.3
177.5
183.4
184.4
183.9
+3.6
+2.0%
Economic Research Service
86.8
84.8
62.1
86.7
85.7
85.5
+0.7
+0.8%
Under Secretary
0.8
0.8
6.8
6.1
0.8
0.8
+0.009
+1.1%
Marketing and Regulatory Programs

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Svc.
1,014.3
1,045.9
1,035.6
1,073.0
1,060.3
1,067.4
+21.5
+2.1%
Agricultural Marketing Service
160.3
188.2
148.4
190.1
188.3
189.6
+1.4
+0.8%
Section 32 (M)
1,374.0
1,404.0
1,359.9
1,359.9
1,359.9
1,359.9
-44.1
-3.1%
Under Secretary
0.9
0.8
0.9
0.8
0.8
0.8
+0.009
+1.1%
Food Safety

Food Safety and Inspection Service
1,049.3
1,054.3
1,092.4
1,088.6
1,070.1
1,075.7
+21.4
+2.0%
Under Secretary
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
+0.009
+1.1%
Subtotal, Title I

Discretionary
6,033.9
6,163.1
6,148.0
6,110.5
6,141.0
6,182.2
+19.1
+0.3%
Mandatory (M)
1,374.0
1,404.0
1,359.9
1,359.9
1,359.9
1,359.9
-44.1
-3.1%
Subtotal
7,407.9
7,567.1
7,507.8
7,470.4
7,500.9
7,542.1
-25.0
-0.3%
Title II. Farm Production & Conservation

Farm and Commodity Programs

Business Center
216.4
203.9
243.6
232.2
232.5
231.3
+27.4
+13.5%
Farm Service Agencyb
1,494.2
1,541.7
1,484.8
1,542.7
1,528.9
1,532.6
-9.1
-0.6%
FSA Farm Loans: Loan Authorityc
7,987.7
8,431.0
8,906.7
8,932.2
9,853.2
9,858.2
+1,427.2
+16.9%
Risk Management Agency
58.4
58.4
59.4
59.4
60.4
60.1
+1.8
+3.0%
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (M)
15,410.6
9,959.0
8,716.0
8,716.0
8,716.0
8,748.0
-1,211.0
-12.2%
Commodity Credit Corporation (M)
15,410.0
26,309.0
25,553.1
25,553.1
25,553.1
31,830.7
+5,521.7
+21.0%
Conservation Programs

Conservation Operations
819.5
829.6
830.2
833.8
831.9
832.7
+3.1
+0.4%
Watershed and Flood Prevention
150.0
175.0
0.0
155.0
175.0
175.0
+0.0
+0.0%
Watershed Rehabilitation Program
10.0
10.0
0.0
12.0
0.0
10.0
+0.0
+0.0%
Under Secretary
0.9
0.9
1.1
0.9
0.9
0.9
+0.015
+1.7%
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FY2019
FY2020
FY2021

Change from FY2020
to FY2021 enacted
P.L. 116- P.L. 116-
Admin.
House-
Senate
P.L. 116-
Agency or major program
6
94
requesta
passed
draft
260
$
%
Subtotal, Title II

Discretionary
2,748.8
2,819.0
2,618.7
2,835.5
2,829.1
2,842.1
+23.2
+0.8%
Mandatory (M)
30,821.1
36,268.5
34,269.6
34,269.6
34,269.6
40,579.2
+4,310.7
+11.9%
Subtotal
33,569.9
39,087.5
36,888.3
37,105.1
37,098.7
43,421.4
+4,333.9
+11.1%
Title III. Rural Development

Salaries and Expenses (incl. transfers)d
686.8
697.8
761.5
761.9
707.3
714.0
+16.2
+2.3%
Rural Housing Service
1,606.0
1,686.7
1,595.0
1,662.9
1,686.0
1,708.0
+21.3
+1.3%
RHS Loan Authorityc
28,293.8
28,646.0
27,240.0
28,646.0
28,346.0
28,646.0
+0.0
+0.0%
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
98.6
105.0
110.4
98.2
84.6
92.3
-12.7
-12.1%
RBCS Loan Authorityc
1,026.4
1,088.9
1,500.0
1,088.9
1,438.9
1,088.9
+0.0
+0.0%
Rural Utilities Service
620.2e
750.3e
942.6
725.1e
642.5
720.8
-29.4
-3.9%
RUS Loan Authorityc
8,419.9
8,401.2
7,518.3
8,401.2
8,401.9
8,401.9
+0.7
+0.0%
Under Secretaryf
—f
0.8
1.0
0.8
0.8
0.8
+0.012
+1.5%
Subtotal, Title III
3,011.7e
3,240.6e
3,410.5
3,249.0e
3,121.2
3,236.0
-4.6
-0.1%
Subtotal, RD Loan Authorityc
37,740.0
38,136.1
36,258.3
38,136.1
38,186.8
38,136.8
+0.7
+0.0%
Title IV. Domestic Food Programs

Child Nutrition Programs (M)
23,140.8
23,615.1
25,040.9
25,131.4
25,111.4
25,118.4
+1,503.3
+6.4%
WIC Program
6,075.0
6,000.0
5,451.5
5,750.0
6,000.0
6,000.0
+0.0
+0.0%
SNAP, Food & Nutrition Act Program (M)
73,476.9
67,886.3
68,281.4
68,805.9
68,322.6 114,035.6 +46,149.3
+68.0%
Commodity Assistance Programs
322.1
344.2
80.7
390.7
362.2
426.7
+82.5
+24.0%
Nutrition Programs Administration
164.7
155.9
155.3
156.4
157.5
156.8
+0.9
+0.6%
Under Secretary
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
+0.009
+1.1%
Subtotal, Title IV

Discretionary
6,620.3
6,566.0
5,700.7
6,383.3
6,586.0
6,656.8
+90.7
+1.4%
Mandatory (M)
96,560.0
91,436.3
93,309.8
93,851.9
93,368.6 139,081.6 +47,645.3
+52.1%
Subtotal
103,180.3
98,002.3
99,010.5 100,235.3
99,954.7 145,738.3 +47,736.0
+48.7%
Title V. Foreign Assistance

Foreign Agricultural Service
213.9
215.5
193.7
222.2
214.6
221.8
+6.3
+2.9%
Food for Peace Title II, and admin.
1,500.1e
1,725.1
0.1
1,775.1
1,725.1
1,740.1
+15.0
+0.9%
McGovern-Dole Food for Education
210.3
220.0
0.0
235.0
220.0
230.0
+10.0
+4.5%
CCC Export Loan Salaries
8.8
6.4
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
4.8
+0.030
+0.6%
Under Secretary
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
+0.012
+1.4%
Subtotal, Title V
1,938.0
2,172.7
205.9
2,244.4
2,171.8
2,204.0
+31.3
+1.4%
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FY2019
FY2020
FY2021

Change from FY2020
to FY2021 enacted
P.L. 116- P.L. 116-
Admin.
House-
Senate
P.L. 116-
Agency or major program
6
94
requesta
passed
draft
260
$
%
Title VI. Related Agencies

Food and Drug Administration
3,080.5
3,171.5
3,220.4
3,218.3
3,211.5
3,214.7
+43.3
+1.4%
Commodity Futures Trading Commissiong
[268.0]
315.0
226.5
304.0
[304.0]
[304.0]
-11.0
-3.5%
Subtotal, Title VI
[3,348.5]
3,486.5
3,446.9
3,522.3 [3,515.5] [3,518.7]
+32.3
+0.9%
Title VII. General Provisions

Changes in Mandatory Programsh

a. Conservation programs
[-60.2]i
-60.2
-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
+12.0
+3.0
+33.3%
c. Farm Prod, & Conservation Bus. Ctr.
[+60.2]i
+60.2
+60.2
+60.2
+60.2
+60.2
+0.0
+0.0%
d. Agriculture Quarantine Inspection
—
—
—
—
—
+635.0
+635.0
—
e. Other CHIMPS, mandatory rescissions
+10.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Subtotal, CHIMPS (Table B-1)
+15.0
+9.0
+0.0
+12.0
+9.0
+647.0
+638.0
+7089%
Rescissions (discretionary)j (Table B-2)
-505.0
-1,015.1
-1,200.0
-1,000.0
-809.0
-1,262.0
-246.9
+24.3%
Other appropriations (Table B-3)

a. Emergency/disaster programs
—
535.0k
—
—
—
—
-535.0
-100.0%
b. Water and Waste Water
75.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
c. Broadband pilotl
125.0
300.0
0.0l
915.0
325.0
531.0
+231.0
+77.0%
d. Food for Peace
216.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
e. Other appropriations
77.5
140.3
—
121.4
158.9
192.6
+52.3
+37.2%
Subtotal, Other appropriations
493.5
975.3
0.0
1,036.4
483.9
723.6
-251.7
-25.8%
Subtotal, Title VII
3.5
-30.8
-1,200.0
48.4
-316.1
108.6
+139.3
-452.8%
Scorekeeping Adjustmentsm (Table B-4)

Emergency declaration in this bil
—
-535.0k
—
—
—
-635.0
-100.0
+18.7%
Other scorekeeping adjustments
-404.0
-398.0
-424.0
-421.0
-421.0
-421.0
-23.0
+5.8%
Subtotal, Scorekeeping am
-404.0
-933.0
-424.0
-421.0
-421.0
-1,056.0
-123.0
+13.2%
Totals

Discretionary: Senate basis w/o CFTCg
23,032.7 [23,169.1]
19,680.2 [23,668.4]
23,323.4
23,388.4
+219.3
+0.9%
Discretionary: House basis w/ CFTCg
[23,300.7]
23,484.1
19,906.7
23,972.4 [23,627.4] [23,692.4]
+208.3
+0.9%
Mandatory (M)
128,755.1 129,108.8 128,939.3 129,481.4 128,998.1 181,020.7 +51,911.9
+40.2%
Total: Senate basis w/o CFTC
151,787.8 152,278.0 148,619.4 153,149.9 152,321.5 204,409.1 +52,131.2
+34.2%
Total: House basis w/ CFTC
152,055.8 152,593.0 148,845.9 153,453.9 152,625.5 204,713.1 +52,120.2
+34.2%
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 in mil ions of dol ars unless labeled otherwise.
“(M)” indicates that the account is mandatory authority (or primarily mandatory authority). Bracketed amounts
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are not in the official totals due to differing House-Senate jurisdiction for CFTC but are shown for comparison.
Excludes coronavirus supplemental appropriations acts, except as incorporated into mandatory appropriations.
a. The request is based on current law and does not reflect the Administration’s various legislative proposals.
b. Includes regular FSA salaries and expenses plus transfers for farm loan program salaries and administrative
expenses. Also includes farm loan program loan subsidy, State Mediation Grants, Dairy Indemnity Program
(mandatory funding), and Grassroots Source Water Protection Program. Does not include appropriations
to the Foreign Agricultural Service for export loans and P.L. 480 administration that are transferred to FSA.
c. Loan authority is the amount of loans that can be made or guaranteed with a loan subsidy. This amount is
not added in the budget authority subtotals or totals.
d. Rural Development salaries and expenses include a base amount plus transfers from the three rural
development agencies. Amounts presented for the agencies therefore include program funds for loans and
grants.
e. Excludes a portion of the other appropriations that are provided separately in General Provisions (see
Table B-3).
f.
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 funds it as such.
g. 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.
h. Changes in Mandatory Program Spending (CHIMPS) include temporary increases and reductions (from
limitations and rescissions) to mandatory programs that are temporary via appropriations acts.
i.
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.
j.
Rescissions are actions that permanently reduce a budget authority subsequent to an enacted appropriation.
They score budgetary savings. Any rescissions from mandatory programs are included with the CHIMPS.
k. 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).
l.
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.
m. “Scorekeeping adjustments” are not necessarily appropriated items and may not be shown in
Appropriations Committee tables but are part of the official CBO score (accounting) of the bil . They
predominantly include “negative subsidies” in loan program accounts (mostly from receipt of fees) and
adjustments for emergency designations in the bil .

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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.52 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 law, it often explains congressional intent that agencies may be expected to follow.
Congress has directed that committee reports and the joint explanatory statement need to be read
together to capture congressional intent. For example, the explanatory statement for the FY2021
appropriation instructs that the House report should be read together with the conference
agreement (the Senate draft was not official y introduced, thus it does not carry the same weight).
The explanatory statement accompanying this division is approved and indicates
congressional intent. Unless otherwise noted, the language set forth in House Report 116–
446 carries the same weight as language included in this explanatory statement and should
be complied with unless specifically addressed to the contrary in this explanatory
statement. While some language is repeated for emphasis, it is not intended to negate the
language referred to above unless expressly provided herein.
In cases in which the House or this explanatory statement has directed the submission of a
report, such report is to be submitted to both the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations no later than 60 days after enactment, unless otherwise directed.53
COVID-19 Supplemental Appropriations
In March, April, and December 2020, and in March 2021, Congress passed and the President
signed four supplemental appropriations acts in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic—
designated Coronavirus Disease 2019, or COVID-19. These acts include support for programs in
the jurisdiction of the Agriculture appropriations subcommittees.54 Al of this spending was
designated as emergency spending and not counted against budget caps. The acts are as follows:
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. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act; P.L. 116-136,
March 27, 2020);
4. Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (P.L. 116-139,
April 27, 2020);
5. FY2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 116-260, Division N, Additional
Coronavirus Response and Relief, December 27, 2020); and
6. American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA; P.L. 117-2, March 11, 2021).

52 See CRS Report RL30240, Congressional Oversight Manual.
53 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, committee print on
H.R. 133/P.L. 116-260, 117th Cong., 1st sess., March 2021, 43-749 (Washington, DC: GPO, 2021), pdf p. 69.
54 CRS In Focus IF11491, Supplemental Appropriations for Agriculture and Related Agencies Due to COVID-19.
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

Appendix A. USDA Departmental Administration
Table A-1. USDA Departmental Administration Appropriations
Budget authority in mil ions of dol ars
FY2019
FY2020
FY2021

Change from FY2020
to FY2021 enacted
USDA Departmental
P.L. 116-
P.L. 116-
Admin.
House-
Senate
P.L. 116-
Administration
6
94
request
passed
draft
260
$
%
Office of the Secretary

Office of the Secretary
5.1
5.1
5.1
5.1
5.1
5.1
+0.0
+1.0%
Asst. to Sec. for Rural Dev.
0.8
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Office of Homeland Security
1.5
1.5
1.3
1.3
1.3
1.3
-0.2
-11.6%
Public Partnership and Engagement
4.7
6.2
2.0
6.5
6.2
7.0
+0.8
+12.7%
Assistant Secretary for Admin.
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
+0.006
+0.7%
Departmental Administration
22.3
21.4
27.2
19.5
21.5
21.4
+0.1
+0.3%
Asst. Sec. Congressional Relations
3.9
3.9
3.9
3.9
3.9
3.9
+0.04
+1.0%
Office of Communications
7.5
7.3
7.4
7.4
7.4
7.3
+0.1
+1.1%
Subtotal
46.6
46.1
47.8
44.6
46.3
47.0
+0.9
+1.9%
Executive Operations

Office of Chief Economist
21.3
24.0
20.9
21.3
23.8
24.2
+0.2
+0.7%
Office of Hearings and Appeals
15.2
15.2
15.5
15.4
15.4
15.4
+0.2
+1.1%
Office of Budget, Program Analysis
9.5
9.5
20.7
9.7
9.7
9.6
+0.1
+1.1%
Subtotal
46.0
48.8
57.1
46.4
48.9
49.2
+0.5
+0.9%
Other Administration

Chief Information Officer
55.6
66.6
142.8
59.4
66.9
66.8
+0.2
+0.4%
Chief Financial Officer
6.0
6.0
11.1
6.1
6.1
6.1
+0.1
+1.3%
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
+0.007
+0.8%
Office of Civil Rights
24.2
24.2
20.6
22.9
20.5
22.8
-1.4
-5.9%
Office of Safety, Security, Protection
—
—
25.0
23.2
25.0
23.2
+23.2
—
Buildings and facilities
60.0
128.2
152.8
88.2
131.7
108.1
-20.1
-15.7%
Hazardous materials management
3.5
4.5
3.5
7.5
4.5
6.5
+2.0
+44.7%
Office of Inspector General
98.2
98.2
100.4
100.8
99.8
99.9
+1.7
+1.7%
General Counsel
45.1
45.1
45.9
33.6
45.9
45.4
+0.2
+0.5%
Office of Information Affairs
—
—
2.5
—
—
—
—
—
Office of Ethics
4.1
4.1
4.2
4.2
4.2
4.2
+0.05
+1.2%
Subtotal
297.7
377.9
509.8
346.8
405.6
384.0
+6.1
+1.6%
Total
390.4
472.8
614.7
437.8
500.7
480.2
+7.4
+1.6%
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 .
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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 from FY2020
to FY2021 enacted
P.L. 116- P.L. 116-
Admin.
House-
Senate
P.L. 116-
CHIMPS and mandatory rescissions
6
94
request
passed
draft
260
$
%
Farm bill programs

Farm Security Rural Investment Act
conservation programs
[-60.2]a
-60.2
-60.2
-60.2
-60.2
-60.2
+0.0
+0.0%
Farm to School
+5.0
+9.0
—
+12.0
+9.0
+12.0
+3.0
+33.3%
Subtotal, farm bill programs
+5.0
-51.2
-60.2
-48.2
-51.2
-48.2
+3.0
-5.9%
Other CHIMPS

Farm Production & Conservation
(FPAC) Business Center
[+60.2]a
+60.2
+60.2
+60.2
+60.2
+60.2
+0.0
+0.0%
Agriculture Quarantine Inspection
—
—
—
—
—
+635.0
+635.0
—
Food for Progress
+10.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Total CHIMPS
+15.0
+9.0
+0.0
+12.0
+9.0
+647.0
+638.0
+7089%
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.
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.
Table B-2. General Provisions: Rescissions from Discretionary Accounts
Budget authority in mil ions of dol ars
FY2019
FY2020
FY2021

Change from FY2020
to FY2021 enacted
Rescissions from discretionary
P.L. 116-
P.L. 116-
Admin.
House-
Senate
P.L. 116-
accounts
6
94
request
passed
draft
260
$
%
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for
Women, Infants, and Children
-500.0
-1,000.0
-1,200.0
-1,000.0
-800.0
-1,250.0
-250.0
+25.0%
Broadband program
—
—
—
—
-9.0
-12.0
-12.0
—
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
-1,262.0
-246.9
+24.3%
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 .
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Table B-3. General Provisions: Other Appropriations
Budget authority in mil ions of dol ars
FY2019
FY2020
FY2021

Change from FY2020
to FY2021 enacted
P.L. 116- P.L. 116-
Admin.
House-
Senate
P.L. 116-
Program
6
94
request
passed
draft
260
$
%
FDA seafood safety
—
—
—
—
1.0
1.0
+1.0
—
FDA buildings and facilities
—
20.0
—
—
—
—
-20.0
-100.0%
Goodfel ow facility
—
—
—
—
58.4
45.9
+45.9
—
Agriculture Risk Coverage pilot
5.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Dairy Innovation
—
20.0
—
6.0
20.0
22.0
+2.0
+10.0%
Mitigation banking
—
5.0
—
—
5.0
5.0
+0.0
+0.0%
Conservation Reserve Program pilot
1.0
1.0
—
—
—
—
-1.0
-100.0%
Citrus greening
8.5
8.5
—
8.5
8.5
8.5
+0.0
+0.0%
Cogongrass pilot
—
—
—
—
—
3.0
+3.0
—
Protecting Animals with Shelter Grants
—
2.0
—
3.0
2.0
2.5
+0.5
+25.0%
Biocontrol Facility Feasibility Study
—
—
—
—
1.0
—
—
—
Fruit fly quarantine payments
9.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Geographical y disadvantaged farmers
2.0
2.0
—
2.0
2.0
2.0
+0.0
+0.0%
Farming Opportunities Training & Outreach
—
5.0
—
5.0
5.0
5.0
+0.0
+0.0%
Water Bank
4.0
4.0
—
—
4.0
4.0
+0.0
+0.0%
Rural Energy Savings Program
10.0
12.0
—
12.0
10.0
11.0
-1.0
-8.3%
Agriculture Business Innovation Center
—
—
—
2.0
—
2.0
+2.0
—
Renewable Energy
—
—
—
10.0
—
10.0
+10.0
—
Maturing mortgage pilot
1.0
1.0
—
—
2.0
2.0
+1.0
+100.0%
Rural microentrepreneur assistance program
3.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Water and Waste Water
75.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Waste water pilot
—
5.0
—
—
5.0
5.0
+0.0
+0.0%
Broadband pilota
125.0
300.0
—a
915.0
325.0
531.0
+231.0
+77.0%
Distance Learning Telemedicine
16.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Rural Hospital Technical Assistance
—
1.0
—
2.0
—
2.0
+1.0
+100.0%
Tribal Demonstration Projects
—
3.0
—
3.0
3.0
3.0
+0.0
+0.0%
Healthy Food Financing Initiative
2.0
5.0
—
5.0
5.0
5.0
+0.0
+0.0%
Healthy Fluid Milk
—
1.0
—
1.0
1.0
1.0
+0.0
+0.0%
RISE grants
—
5.0
—
—
5.0
5.0
+0.0
+0.0%
NIFA military veterans grants
5.0
5.0
—
5.0
5.0
5.0
+0.0
+0.0%
Genome to Phenome
—
1.0
—
1.0
1.0
1.0
+0.0
+0.0%
Blue Ribbon panel
—
—
—
—
—
0.3
+0.3
—
Farm of the Future
—
—
—
—
—
4.0
+4.0
—
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FY2019
FY2020
FY2021

Change from FY2020
to FY2021 enacted
P.L. 116- P.L. 116-
Admin.
House-
Senate
P.L. 116-
Program
6
94
request
passed
draft
260
$
%
Open data standards
—
—
—
—
—
0.5
+0.5
—
NIFA 1890 land grants, Center of Excel ence
5.0
6.0
—
14.0
—
10.0
+4.0
+66.7%
Tribal Student Scholarships
—
5.0
—
5.0
5.0
5.0
+0.0
+0.0%
International Ag Education Fel owship
—
1.0
—
1.0
1.0
1.0
+0.0
+0.0%
NOAA working group
—
—
—
—
1.0
1.0
+1.0
—
Pol inator Research Coordinator
—
0.4
—
0.4
—
0.4
+0.0
+0.0%
Urban Agriculture Office
—
5.0
—
10.0
2.0
7.0
+2.0
+40.0%
Food Loss Liaison
—
0.4
—
0.5
—
0.5
+0.1
+25.0%
Food for Peace
216.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Food for Progress
6.0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Child Nutrition training pilot
—
—
—
—
1.0
1.0
+1.0
—
Nutrition Assistance Program Study
—
6.0
—
—
—
—
-6.0
-100.0%
Micro-grants for Food Security
—
5.0
—
10.0
5.0
5.0
+0.0
+0.0%
School breakfast expansion
—
5.0
—
15.0
—
6.0
+1.0
+20.0%
Subtotal
493.5
440.3
0.0
1,036.4
483.9
723.6
+283.3
+64.3%
Disaster/Emergency programs

Ebola prevention and treatment
—
+535.0
—
—
—
—
-535.0
-100.0%
Rescind unobligated emergency funding
—
-1,500.0
—
—
—
—
+1,500.0
-100.0%
WHIP-Wildfire, Hurricanes Indemnity Prog.
—
+1,500.0
—
—
—
—
-1,500.0
-100.0%
Subtotal (see Table B-4)
—
+535.0
—
—
—
—
-535.0
-100.0%
Total
493.5
975.3
0.0
1,036.4
483.9
723.6
-251.7
-25.8%
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 .
Note: Excludes supplemental appropriations outside the annual appropriations act.
a. 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.
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Table B-4. General Provisions: Scorekeeping Adjustments
Budget authority in mil ions of dol ars
FY2019
FY2020
FY2021

Change from FY2020
to FY2021 enacted
P.L. 116- P.L. 116-
Admin.
House-
Senate
P.L. 116-
Scorekeeping adjustmenta
6
94
request
passed
draft
260
$
%
Loan program negative subsidiesb

Rural housing negative subsidy
-135.0
-125.0
-130.0
-130.0
-130.0
-130.0
-5.0
+4.0%
Rural community facilities negative subsidy
-72.0
-72.0
-88.0
-88.0
-88.0
-88.0
-16.0
+22.2%
Rural elec. & tele. loan negative subsidy
-173.0
-176.0
-175.0
-175.0
-175.0
-175.0
+1.0
-0.6%
Rural water & waste loan negative subsidy
-2.0
-3.0
-2.0
-2.0
-2.0
-2.0
+1.0
-33.3%
Ag credit loan negative subsidy
-23.0
-23.0
-27.0
-27.0
-27.0
-27.0
-4.0
+17.4%
Subtotal, negative subsidies
-405.0
-399.0
-422.0
-422.0
-422.0
-422.0
-23.0
+5.8%
Denali Commission
—
—
-2.0
—
—
—
—
—
Child nutrition equipment grants
1.0
1.0
—
1.0
1.0
1.0
+0.0
+0.0%
Emergency designations (see Table B-3)
—
-535.0
—
—
—
-635.0
-100.0
+18.7%
Total
-404.0
-933.0
-424.0
-421.0
-421.0
-1,056.0
-123.0
+13.2%
Source: CRS, using unpublished CBO tables of scorekeeping adjustments. House-passed refers to H.R. 7608,
Division B. Senate draft refers to the Senate Appropriations Committee draft from November 10, 2 020.
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 than sufficient to cover the costs of the risk of default (Government Accountability
Office, “Credit Reform: Current Method to Estimate Credit Subsidy Costs Is More Appropriate for Budget
Estimates Than a Fair Value Approach,” GAO-16-41, January 2016, p. 8).
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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.55 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.56 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.

55 CRS Report R43411, The Budget Control Act of 2011: Legislative Changes to the Law and Their Budgetary Effects.
56 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”).57
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 2013.58
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 2015.59
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)).60
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).61

57 CRS Insight IN11148, The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019: Changes to the BCA and Debt Limit.
58 CBO, Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, December 11, 2013, https://www.cbo.gov/publication/44964.
59 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.
60 CBO, Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, February 8, 2018, https://www.cbo.gov/publication/53556.
61 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)62 and the Conservation Reserve Program.63 Some prior
legal obligations in the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation64 and the farm commodity programs
may be exempt65 as determined by OMB.66
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.67
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,68 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.

62 2 U.S.C. §905(h).
63 2 U.S.C. §905(g)(1)(A).
64 2 U.S.C. §905(g)(2).
65 2 U.S.C. §906(j).
66 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.
67 CRS Report R42050, Budget “Sequestration” and Selected Program Exemptions and Special Rules.
68 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
—
12/27/2020 O P.L. 116-260
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.
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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
Stephanie Rosch
Farm loans and credit
Jim Monke
Food and Drug Administration
Agata Bodie
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
Lisa Benson
Trade
Anita Regmi
Congressional Research Service

29

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
its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or
material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to
copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

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