USDA FUNDING BILL ADVANCES IN CONGRESS
News Date July 15, 2009
The House of Representatives passed the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 2997) Thursday to fund USDA and FDA for fiscal year 2010. The legislation would increase federal discretionary funding by 11% for fiscal year 2010 over 2009, bringing total discretionary funding under the legislation to $22.9 billion.
The Senate’s version the agriculture appropriations legislation (S. 1406), which cleared the Senate Appropriations committee July 7, included a number of differences from its House counterpart.
While the House’s version includes a ban on poultry imports from China, the Senate’s version does not. Some agricultural producers are concerned that China could retaliate and impose trade restrictions on American agricultural products if the ban stays in effect.
The National Animal Identification System would see continued funding under the Senate plan. The legislation that cleared the House prohibited further funding of the program. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont) said he may offer an amendment when the bill reaches the Senate floor to freeze funding for the program.
The House and Senate versions both agree on full funding for the Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development in the amount of $200 million and $34.5 million respectively. (Contact: Nathan Bowen or Sean McCarver)