Source: Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE, 5/20/16



The Senate Committee on Appropriations today approved a $147.7 billion appropriations bill to support federal agriculture and nutrition programs in fiscal year 2017.
The vote on the bill was unanimous, 30-0, and is now available for consideration before the full Senate.

The legislation recommends $21.25 billion in discretionary funding, $250 million below the FY2016 enacted level. Mandatory funding in the bill totals $126.5 billion, for a total of $147.7 billion in discretionary and mandatory funding. The overall funding level is $21.7 billion below the president’s budget request and $7.1 billion above the FY2016 enacted level.

The measure supports USDA agriculture, rural development, conservation programsand food and drug safety. It also provides essential nutrition assistance for children, families and seniors. The bill also creates incentives for military veterans to enter careers in agriculture.

Among the bill’s highlights:
• Agricultural research – $2.54 billion to support agricultural research conducted by the Agricultural Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. This amount includes $375 million for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, a $25 million increase above the FY2016 enacted level. Formula research funding for land-grant universities is maintained at FY2016 levels.
• Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) – $939.3 million for APHIS, $38 million above the budget request and $44.9 million above the FY2016 enacted level. Overall funding will continue programs to control or eradicate plant and animal pests and diseases that threaten U.S. agriculture production. The bill includes an increase of $27.2 million for emergency preparedness/response to address capacity shortfalls exposed by the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak in 2015. Additional increases will help address wildlife damage management issues, initiate workforce development for the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, expand activities to combat antibiotic resistance, and improve pre-departure inspections of agriculture imports.
• Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) – $1.033 billion, $19 million above the FY2016 enacted level and $3 million over the budget request, for food safety and inspection programs that work to ensure safe, healthy food for American families, while promoting the safety and productivity of the nation’s $186 billion meat and poultry industry. The bill will support more than 8,000 frontline inspection personnel for meat, poultry, and egg products at more than 6,400 facilities in the United States.
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – $2.759 billion in discretionary funding for the FDA, $39 million over the FY2016 enacted level. Overall, total FDA funding, including user fee revenues, is $4.78 billion, which is $103 million above FY2016. Within this total, a $40.2 million increase is provided for food safety activities, $15 million above the president’s request, and an $11.9 million increase is included for medical product safety activities. The Senate bill also maintains the delay for FDA implementation of the new menu labeling regulation.

For more stories, go to www.meatingplace.com.