On June 28, the FY 2018 House Agriculture Appropriations bill was passed out of the Subcommittee on Agriculture Appropriations by voice vote. [Source: NIFA Update, July 5, 2017]
Key points:
- $830,402,000 for Research and Education Activities; a decrease of $19,116,000 below the 2017 level.
- $475,876,000 for Extension Activities; a decrease of $1,515,000 below the 2017
- $35,000,000 for Integrated Activities; a decrease of $1,000,000 below the 2017 level.
The bill maintains language supporting a 5 percent administrative rate for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Program. In addition, it continues the provision that indirect costs shall not be charged to Extension Implementation Program Area under the Crop Protection/Pest Management Program. A new General Provision would require a three-day advanced Congressional notification for grant allocations or contract awards totaling $1 million or more of discretionary funds. You can view the press release. Additional details on the NIFA budget will be available when the full Committee on Appropriations marks up the Ag Bill. The date for full Committee markup has not been set.