Congress Acts On Agricultural Appropriations

News Date July 17, 2007

This week, the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee will take action on the fiscal year 2008 agricultural appropriations bill. Last week, Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (D-Conn.), chairman of the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, marked up the subcommittee's fiscal year 2008 bill. The Chairman's Mark included 18.8 billion in total discretionary spending--$1 billion (5.7%) over 2007 and $987.4 million (5.5%) over the president's request. Ninety five percent of the increase above the budget request is to restore funding to provide basic services to rural communities, feed those in need, and support conservation efforts. Additionally, the bill takes the critical first steps in a fundamental transformation in the regulation of food safety at the Food and Drug Administration.

* USDA is funded at $17 billion, $879.5 million (5.5%) above 2007 and $945.9 million (5.9%) above the budget request.
* The Food and Drug Administration is funded at $1.7 billion, $121.5 million (7.7%) above 2007 and $55 million (3.4%) above the budget request.
        
DeLauro's statement highlighted critical programs funded:
* Reinvesting in Rural America--This bill provides a 37 percent increase in grants to rural areas for critical community facilities, such as health care, educational, public safety, and day care facilities and also provides increases in the community facility loan programs.
* Protecting Public Health--This bill fully funds the request for the Food Safety and Inspection Service at USDA. To maximize the funds' positive impact on safety, the bill shifts additional funds within the account to address vacancies in federal meat inspector positions. The committee also provides an increase of $28 million over the budget request for food safety at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for what it hopes will be the first step in a fundamental transformation in the regulation of food safety at FDA. The committee directs the FDA to submit a plan to begin changing its approach to food safety when it submits the fiscal year 2009 budget, giving the committee time to review the plan before the funds to implement it become available on July 1, 2008.
* Improving Nutrition for More Americans--The bill also provides critical resources to address the obesity crisis, teaching children better eating habits and helping them avoid diabetes and other dangerous health conditions. The bill provides a nearly eight-percent increase over 2007 funding, including a record level of funding for the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) at $68.5 million.
* Transforming Our Energy Future--To promote renewable energy, this bill provides $455 million, nearly twice as much funding than was provided last year and more than 20 percent above the $375 million requested.
* Supporting Conservation--This bill restores many of the programs slated for elimination in the president's request, including the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, the Wildlife Habitat Program and the Watershed Rehabilitation Programs which were funded $75 million, 50 percent above last year's levels. The full statement can be located at http://www.house.gov/delauro/press/2007/July/Agric_07_12_07.html.

During the Senate subcommittee markup, the Specialty Crops Block Grant program was funded at $7 million. (Contact: Jennifer Yezak)