Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2006 Appropriations (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised Jan. 27, 2006 |
| Report Number |
RL32904 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Jim Monke, Ralph M. Chite, Charles E. Hanrahan, Jeffrey A. Zinn, Susan Thaul, Geoffrey S. Becker, Tadlock Cowan, Jean M. Rawson, Joe Richardson, Mark Jickling |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
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Summary:
The President signed the FY2006 Agriculture Appropriations Act (P.L. 109-97, H.R. 2744) into law on November 10, 2005. The act includes all of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (except the Forest Service), plus the Food and Drug Administration, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The $100.1 billion law is $15.0 billion (+18%) above FY2005 levels, and contains $17.03 billion in discretionary spending and $83.07 billion for mandatory programs. The discretionary amount is $199 million (+1.2%) above FY2005 levels, $201 million (+1.2%) more than the House bill, and $317 million (-1.8%) below the Senate bill.
Increases in mandatory programs account for 99% of the increase over FY2005 levels. About 83% of the $100.1 billion total is for mandatory programs (primarily food and nutrition assistance, farm commodity support, and crop insurance), and most of this spending rises or falls on economic or weather conditions. Appropriators have direct control over discretionary programs, the remaining 17%.
P.L. 109-97 rejects or limits many of the Administration's proposed reductions to many conservation and rural development programs. It rejects the Administration's proposal to redirect $300 million in foreign food assistance funds to purchase food in foreign markets. This has proven controversial with farm groups and private voluntary organizations. The law also rejects the Administration's proposal to cut formula funds for state agricultural experiment stations (under the Hatch Act) by 50% and provide a new pool of competitive grants.
The act postpones country of origin labeling (COOL) for two more years (until 2008) and expands the scope of the delay to include not only beef, but also lamb, pork, fresh fruits and vegetables, and peanuts. Regarding a trade dispute, conferees dropped a Senate amendment that would have stopped USDA from allowing Japan to resume exporting beef to the United States; conferees instead inserted report language encouraging negotiations with Japan to reopen its market to U.S. beef. A Senate amendment prohibiting nonambulatory livestock ("downers") from being used for human food was dropped by conferees. However, an amendment was retained that prohibits the inspection of horses destined for human food, but it remains unclear whether the provision will be entirely effective. The National Organic Program was amended in response to a recent court decision on organic standards that prohibits the use of synthetic substances and non-organic feed.
Conferees did not adopt a House amendment that would have allowed prescription drug re-importation, thus averting a possible veto.
Supplementals and Rescissions. Subsequent to the regular agriculture appropriation, Congress enacted emergency supplemental appropriations (Division B of P.L. 109-148, the FY2006 Defense Appropriations Act). Agriculture accounts receive $1.08 billion for hurricane recovery, and $111 million for avian influenza. The supplemental act also contains targeted rescissions totaling $66 million to agriculture accounts and a 1% across-the-board rescission to discretionary spending.
