Budget

Successful Farming’s Chuck Abbott reported Tuesday that “the federally subsidized crop insurance program will cost an additional $27.7 billion over the coming decade, said the Congressional Budget Office in projections released on Monday. The government pays roughly 62¢ of each $1 in premiums, and sales of livestock and forage policies are exploding.” “Crop insurance costs […]

As the United States Congress returns to session this week, “lawmakers will, once again, have less than 10 working days to avert a shutdown in some of the federal government’s agencies, including the Agriculture Department,” Politico’s Garrett Downs reports. “That’s due to the last stopgap resolution’s ‘laddered’ approach, which created two separate deadlines for two […]

Los Angeles Times writer David Lauter reported last week that, “President Biden, saying the U.S. has ‘significantly underinvested in core public services,’ will ask Congress for a 16% boost in annual spending for a range of domestic programs, the White House announced Friday [April 9th].”

DTN Ag Policy Editor Chris Clayton reported on Wednesday that, “The $1.9 trillion relief plan moving through the House of Representatives has roughly $16.1 billion in specific provisions for USDA — mainly for nutrition programs — but boosts in agricultural aid steered toward buying commodities or supporting minority or socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.”

David Lerman and Jennifer Shutt reported on Tuesday night at Roll Call Online that, “The House swiftly passed a stopgap funding measure needed to avert a partial government shutdown in eight days after top congressional leaders reached a deal resolving a fight over farm payments.”

Wall Street Journal writers Kristina Peterson and Jesse Newman reported in Tuesday’s paper that, “The House was expected to move Tuesday to pass a spending bill that would keep the government running through Dec. 11 but without farm-aid funds sought by the White House.”

The executive branch released its Federal budget proposal this week.  Like previous Trump administration budget outlines in 2017, and last year, Monday’s framework sought cuts to U.S. Department of Agriculture programs.  Today’s update highlights recent news reports that discuss some of the specific items contained in the President’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget request.

The partial Federal government shutdown continues.  Today’s update points to news items that catalogue some of the impacts of the ongoing budget impasse on USDA data and agricultural markets, as well as disruptions in other USDA administered programs.

This week, the House Budget Committee unveiled, and subsequently passed, a 2018 fiscal year budget resolution.  Meanwhile, the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved its fiscal year 2018 agricultural appropriations measure.  Today’s update provides additional details on these budgetary developments as the legislative process advances in anticipation of the next Farm Bill.

On Tuesday, a news release from the House Appropriations Committee indicated that, “The House Appropriations Committee today released the fiscal year 2018 Agriculture Appropriations bill, which will be considered in subcommittee [on Wednesday]…The bill totals $20 billion in discretionary funding, which is $876 million lower than the fiscal year 2017 enacted level and $4.64 billion above the President’s budget request. The legislation prioritizes this funding in programs for rural communities, farmers, ranchers, food and drug safety, and nutrition for those in need.”

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture held a hearing yesterday to discuss the President’s FY2018 budget request and heard testimony from Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. Recall that late last month, Sec. Perdue discussed the executive branch agricultural budget outline before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture. Recent news articles have documented concerns about the President’s budget proposal, particularly when it comes to crop insurance and the SNAP program (food stamps). Today’s update highlights three issues that Senators discussed at yesterday’s meeting: Crop insurance, federal agricultural related research, and dairy issues with Canada.

Recent news articles have pointed to ongoing concerns with respect to President Trump’s budget proposals, specifically when it comes to proposed cuts to crop insurance and the SNAP program (food stamps). Late last month, lawmakers on the House Ag Appropriations Subcommittee discussed these issues with Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, and today’s update provides additional perspective on these budget items.

Yesterday, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture held a hearing with Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to discuss the Administration’s priorities for the Department of Agriculture and to review the President’s proposed 2018 budget. Today’s update highlights two issues that lawmakers discussed at yesterday’s meeting: Crop Insurance and the SNAP (food stamps) program.

Reuters writer P.J. Huffstutter reported earlier this week that, “The White House budget on Monday proposed $46.54 billion in cuts to federal government funding for the agriculture sector over the next 10 years. President Donald Trump’s biggest cut would come in the form of a $38 billion bite out of farm supports, including new limits on federal subsidies for crop insurance premiums and caps for commodity payments.”