Ag-Appropriations Updates: Mini-Blog Part II
Takeaways, Land Core Request, and Importance to Soil Health
Overview
Each fiscal year, the Office of Management and Budget submits the President’s budget request to Congress, followed by budget resolutions from each chamber. Once these resolutions are approved, it’s time for the appropriations committees in both the House and the Senate to start the appropriations process. Appropriations work by authorizing federal funding, whether it be definite or indefinite sums, for the various agencies of the federal government. Agricultural appropriations are just one of the several appropriations subcommittees that work to authorize funding levels, and have influence over farm, food, and rural development programs. Without this funding allocation every year, USDA would not be able to carry out their many programs.
FY24 Recap
Congress has officially wrapped up the FY24 spending bills. The FY24 Ag-FDA appropriations bill contained 2-3% cuts for most of Land Core’s funding priorities, including conservation technical assistance ($777 million, -3%), the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative ($445 million, -2.2%), and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program ($45 million, -4%). The spending levels reflected a deal made by House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and President Biden to cap FY24 spending at FY23 levels.
For more details, see Farm Bill & Ag-Appropriations Updates: Mini-Blog Part I
FY25: Land Core’s Ag-Appropriations Request
By supporting voluntary financial incentives that complement existing conservation programs, farmers can be encouraged to adopt practices that prioritize soil health and long-term sustainability. These incentives serve as a vital lifeline for farmers facing economic uncertainty in the upcoming growing season, providing not only immediate financial relief but also fostering a more resilient agricultural system capable of weathering future challenges. Investing in soil health not only bolsters the profitability and viability of individual farms but also contributes to broader environmental conservation efforts, safeguarding our nation’s agricultural system for generations to come.
We urge Congress to prioritize the following report language and program requests for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in FY25:
Report Language Request
Without a proper understanding of the risk-reducing benefits of soil health practices like cover crops, reduced tillage, complex crop rotations, and livestock grazing, farmers cannot receive the “good soil health discounts" that they might very well be entitled to.
We urge Congress to direct RMA to conduct a study on the risk-reducing benefits of soil health practices and make recommendations for appropriate discounts or other policies based on the findings.
Agency: Risk Management Agency (RMA)
Suggested Language:
The Committee recognizes that soil health practices, such as cover crops, crop rotations, reduced tillage, and rotational grazing, show promise as practices that reduce indemnities for crop insurance over time. The Risk Management Agency (RMA), coordinating with the Office of the Chief Economist (OCE), Economic Research Service (ERS), and other agencies who may make relevant data available, as appropriate, is directed to provide a report to the committee on the actuarial soundness and risk reduction of discounts or incentives for these practices, over 3-5 year timeframes after practice adoption, for all relevant commodity crop insurance policies.
Programs Requests
The below requests for the Department of Agriculture will help to expand vital education, technical service provision and implementation assistance for producers adopting soil health practices; advance critical research priorities; and support local and regional infrastructure and markets to increase access to healthy, regionally sourced food.
We would like to see the following programs funded at the following levels:
Program: Conservation Operations
Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Funding: $1.2 billion, including:
$1.1 billion for Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA)
$30 million dedicated to the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI)
Program: Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)
Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
Funding: $475 million (to support critical research on soil health and on-farm resilience)
Program: Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
Agency: Agricultural Research Service
Funding: $1.95 billion (to support critical research on soil health and on-farm resilience)
Program: Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)
Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
Funding: $60 million (to support applied soil health research, on-farm demonstrations, and education)
Program: Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP)
Agencies: Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and Rural Development (RD)
Funding: $20 million (to support the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Programs and Value-Added Producer Grants)
Program: Direct and Guaranteed Farm Ownership and Operating Loans
Agency: Farm Service Agency (FSA)
Funding: Full funding based on identified need (to provide cash flow flexibility to ensure that farmers can prioritize economic viability and long-term sustainability on their farms)
Supporting America’s farmers and ranchers in building soil health is critical, not only to avert imminent food supply issues, but also to reverse soil loss, safeguard food security, improve farm profitability and productivity, revive rural communities, and mitigate the on-farm impacts of severe weather.