On May 9th, 2006, the Full House Appropriations Committee met (yesterday afternoon/evening) to consider the FY2007 Ag Appropriations bill. In total, the bill provides $18.4 billion in total discretionary resources. This level represents a decrease of $96 million below the FY06 enacted level and $564 million over the President’s budget request.
FY 06: $83.068 billion total mandatory
FY 07 Request: $76.394 billion total mandatory
FY 07 Bill: $76.079 billion total mandatory
Amendments Adopted in Full Committee:
(Kingston): Extends peanut storage program till 2008.
(Obey): Extends MILC program for one month.
(Northup): Allows the re-importation of prescription drugs
(Hinchey): Prohibits FDA from granting financial conflict of interest waivers for members of advisory committees.
(DeLauro): Gives FDA authority to mandate post-market studies of prescription drugs.
(Bishop) Create pilot study to determine how 1890s may develop collaboratives with larger land grant institutions and for the Secretary to report findings by March 2007.

Provisions of Direct Interest to 1890s:

1890s Capacity Building is modestly increased from FY06 rescission adjusted final (RAF) of $12.189 million to the Bill's Subcommittee markup number of $12.375 million. An increase of $186,000 for FY07.

1890s Facilities funding is modestly increased from FY06 RAF $16.609 million to $16.777 million (which flatlines us back to the RAF for FY05 on this account). This is an increase of $168,000.

Evans Allen goes from FY06 RAF of $37.215 million to the Bill's $38.331 million, an increase of $1,116,000 for FY07.

1890s Extension Formula funds are increased from FY06 RAF of $33.529 million to the Bill's $34.073 million, an increase of $544,000.

EFNEP is increased from $62.007 million to the bill's FY2007 amount of $62,634,000.

2501 is flatlined to $6.93 million.

The AMS Farmers Market Program is increased from FY06 RAF of $900,000 to $1 million today, an increase of $100,000.

Graduate Fellowships were funded at $4,455,000 and Institution Challenge Grants are funded at $5,555,000.

Protecting Human Health and Safety:
Avian Flu/Pandemic countermeasures and monitoring are funded at $80 million, which is $80 million over the 2006 appropriation and $33 million below the President’s request. In addition, funds from the December 2005 supplemental, totaling $111 million are available through fiscal year 2007.
Food Safety and Inspection Service is funded at $853 million, $24 million above last year and $96 million above the President’s request. The bill does not include $105 million in new user fees proposed by the Administration.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service activities are funded at $904 million, $92 million above last year and $48 million below the President’s request. The bill does not include $8 million in new user fees proposed by the Administration.
Food and Drug Administration is funded at $1.5 billion, $54 million above last year and $16 million below the President’s request. This includes the full amount requested for the medical device program, and $6 million above the President’s request for drug safety.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) detection and prevention activities are funded at about $90 million, the same as last year’s level and the President’s budget request.

Fulfilling Commitments to Important Food and Nutrition Programs:
Commodity Supplemental Food Program is funded at $118.3 million, $11 million above last year and $118 million over the President’s request.
Child Nutrition Programs (Mandatory) are funded at $13.3 billion, $685 million above last year and $300 million below the President’s request.
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is funded at $5.244 billion, $40 million above last year and $44 million above the President’s request.
Food Stamp Program (Mandatory) is funded at $37.9 billion, essentially the requested level and $2.8 billion below last year. In fiscal year 2007, participation is estimated to decrease by about 1.1 million participants according to the most recent estimates by the Administration.
Food for Peace Program (PL 480) Title II is funded at a program level of $1.2 billion, an increase of $85 million above last year and $5 million above the President’s request.
Supporting Farmers, Ranchers, and Rural America:
Farm Service Agency salaries and expenses are at $1.054 billion, an increase of $34 million above last year and $38 million below the President’s request, to continue delivery of farm programs.
Agricultural Research Service is funded at $1.2 billion, a decrease of $49 million below last year’s level and $195 million above the President’s request.
Conservation Operations activities are funded at $791 million, a decrease of $40 million below last year and an increase of $47 million above the President’s request.
Rural Community Advancement Program (RCAP) is funded at $700 million, an increase of $5 million above last year and an increase of $99 million above the President’s request.

Program Eliminations:
Healthy Forests Reserve--$2.5 million.
Invasive Species Grant--$9.9 million.
Wildlife Air Safety initiative--$3 million.
Classical Chinese Garden--$8.4 million.
Financial Management Modernization Initiative--$13.9 million.
Child Nutrition Program, contingency reserve fund--$300 million (new mandatory)