July 10, 2013
www.gfb.org
Vol. 31 No. 28
CONGRESS MULLS AG APPROPRIATIONS BILLS Bills in both chambers of Congress for fiscal year 2014 agriculture appropriations could soon be put to votes. On June 26 the House Rules Committee passed an open rule for H.R. 2410, the Fiscal Year 2014 Agriculture Appropriations Bill. The open rule allows amendments to be submitted from the House floor. The House bill contains $19.5 billion in discretionary spending, which is $1.3 billion less than the enacted level for FY13 and roughly equivalent to current spending resulting from sequestration spending cuts. It is $516 million lower than the president’s proposed budget. The bill includes an amendment from Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.) that prohibits the USDA from implementing the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rule on poultry contracts that was finalized in December 2011. Georgia Farm Bureau supported the implementation of the rule, which balanced the negotiating positions between poultry producers and integrators. Another amendment, submitted by Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.), would prohibit funding for USDA inspections at U.S. horse processing facilities, effectively preventing processing from being done. Georgia Farm Bureau opposes the amendment, believing that the absence of U.S. processing facilities makes it very difficult for horse owners to humanely dispose of animals that no longer have practical utility. The bill includes instructions establishing an arbitrary timeline for the FDA to finalize antibiotics guidance documents and additional data collection. Meanwhile, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the Senate FY14 ag appropriations bill (S. 1244) by a 23-6 vote on June 20. The $20.93 billion bill funds the USDA and the Food and Drug Administration. According to a committee release, the Senate bill provides $1.176 billion for the Farm Service Agency (FSA), the same funding level as in FY13. The FSA funding includes $2.575 billion to support farm ownership loans and $2.724 billion for farm operating loans. The ownership and operating loan programs both represent increases over FY13. The bill also includes $1.02 billion for the Food Safety Inspection Service, which is $7 million below FY13 funding but $12 million more than the president’s budget request. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) offered an amendment that would prevent the USDA from spending federal funds to provide inspection of horse processing for human consumption. Landrieu’s amendment passed by a voice vote. The Senate bill also increases funding for the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service to $1.123 billion, an increase of $51 million over the FY13 funding level.