Senate Committee Approves FY 2025 Agriculture Appropriations Bill
Bill passes Committee by a vote of 27-0
Washington, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Appropriations today approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, providing support for critical agriculture, rural development, nutrition, conservation, and food and drug safety programs.
The measure, which was advanced by a unanimous vote of 27-0, provides $27 billion in discretionary funding.
“This important bill supports our farmers, the safety of our food supply, critical federal nutrition programs, and medical research and advancements,” said Senator Collins. “As the Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to champion this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
“Our efforts to keep the farm in the Farm Bill go hand in hand with our work on annual appropriations legislation,” said Senator John Hoeven, Ranking Member of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee. “Accordingly, this bill provides vital support to our producers, agri-businesses, land grant institutions and rural communities. The priorities we’ve secured include moving new innovations forward to help farmers increase yields and fight disease, advancing the next generation of precision agriculture technology and helping producers and rural businesses access new markets, just to name a few of these important efforts.”
Bill Highlights:
Agriculture Research: $3.8 billion for agricultural research programs, including $1.9 billion for the Agricultural Research Service and $1.7 billion for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, which allocates $445 million for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative – the nation’s leading competitive grants program for agricultural sciences. The bill also fully funds the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility to support the protection of the U.S. agricultural economy and maintain our position as a global leader in animal health, biodefense, and biosecurity.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS): $ 1.2 billion for APHIS to help protect the nation’s animal and plant resources from diseases and pests such as chronic wasting disease, African swine fever, and avian influenza.
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS): $1.2 billion for the FSIS to promote the safety and productivity of the nation’s $186 billion meat and poultry industry by supporting nearly 8,000 frontline inspection personnel for meat, poultry, and egg products at more than 6,800 facilities in the U.S.
Farm Service Agency (FSA): $1.2 billion for FSA and prohibits the closure of FSA county offices. The bill also provides funding for emergency farm loans to meet the expected demands.
Conservation: $965 million to the Natural Resources Conservation Service for Conservation Operations and $53 million for Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations.
Rural Development: $3.8 billion to support rural development programs across the U.S., including $1.7 billion for affordable housing rental assistance for low-income families and seniors in rural communities; $1 billion in lending authority for Single-Family Housing direct loans and $25 billion in lending authority for the guaranteed Single-Family Housing loans; $1.3 billion for rural water and waste grants and loans; $2.3 billion in grants and loans for rural business and industry programs that promote small business growth in rural areas; $8 billion in lending authority for rural electric loans; and $168 million for rural broadband grants and loans.
Nutrition: $7.7 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children and $425 million for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.
International Food Assistance: $1.7 billion for Food for Peace Title II Grants and $250 million for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education program.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA): $3.6 billion for the FDA. Overall, total FDA funding, including user fee revenues, is nearly $7 billion. The bill provides targeted increases for Drug and Devices Shortages Food Safety, Cosmetics, ALS, and Neuroscience, as well as $55 million as authorized in the 21st Century Cures Act.
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