The U.S. House of Representatives passed the fiscal year 2007 agriculture appropriations bill on May 23rd. In total, the FY 07 bill appropriates $93.6 billion to various agriculture related programs. The bill provides $75.2 billion in mandatory spending and $18.4 billion in total discretionary resources. The discretionary appropriation represents a decrease of $96 million below the FY06 enacted level and $564 million over the President’s budget request. The Senate has yet to consider its version of the bill.
The House appropriations bill includes discretionary funding for the following programs of interest to the swine industry:
- Avian Flu/Pandemic countermeasures and monitoring are funded at $80 million, which is $80 million over the 2006 appropriation and $33 million below the President’s request. In addition, funds from the December 2005 supplemental, totaling $111 million are available through fiscal year 2007.
- Food Safety and Inspection Service is funded at $853 million, $24 million above last year and $96 million above the President’s request. The bill does not include $105 million in new user fees proposed by the Administration.
- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service activities are funded at $904 million, $92 million above last year and $48 million below the President’s request. The bill does not include $8 million in new user fees proposed by the Administration.
- Food and Drug Administration is funded at $1.5 billion, $54 million above last year and $16 million below the President’s request. This includes the full amount requested for the medical device program, and $6 million above the President’s request for drug safety.
- Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) detection and prevention activities are funded at about $90 million, the same as last year’s level and the President’s budget request. Farm Service Agency salaries and expenses are at $1.054 billion, an increase of $34 million above last year and $38 million below the President’s request, to continue delivery of farm programs.
- Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is funded at $1.2 billion, a decrease of $49 million below last year’s level and $195 million above the President’s request.
- Conservation Operations activities are funded at $791 million, a decrease of $40 million below last year and an increase of $47 million above the President’s request.
- Rural Community Advancement Program (RCAP) is funded at $705 million, an increase of $10 million above last year and an increase of $104 million above the President’s request.
Notably, the House froze $33 million directed at funding the national animal identification system pending publication of a proposed rule from USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) detailing the parameters of the plan.
Source:
U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations