[Senate Report 116-110]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 210
116th Congress } { Report
SENATE
1st Session } { 116-110
======================================================================
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND
RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2020
_______
September 19, 2019--Ordered to be printed
Mr. Hoeven, from the Committee on Appropriations,
submitted the following
REPORT
[To accompany S. 2522]
The Committee on Appropriations reports the bill (S. 2522)
making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food
and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the
fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, and for other purposes,
reports favorably thereon and recommends that the bill do pass.
New obligational authority
Total of bill as reported to the Senate.................$152,098,452,000
Amount of 2019 appropriations........................... 157,491,473,000
Amount of 2020 budget estimate.......................... 148,257,371,000
Bill as recommended to Senate compared to--
2019 appropriations................................. -5,393,021,000
2020 budget estimate................................ +3,841,081,000
CONTENTS
----------
Page
Breakdown by Title............................................... 4
Overview and Summary of the Bill................................. 4
Reports to Congress.............................................. 5
Title I:
Agricultural Programs:
Production, Processing, and Marketing:
Office of the Secretary.............................. 6
Executive Operations................................. 10
Office of Hearings and Appeals....................... 11
Office of the Chief Information Officer.............. 11
Office of the Chief Financial Officer................ 12
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights... 12
Office of Civil Rights............................... 13
Agriculture Buildings and Facilities................. 13
Hazardous Materials Management....................... 13
Office of Inspector General.......................... 14
Office of the General Counsel........................ 14
Office of Ethics..................................... 15
Office of the Under Secretary for Research,
Education, and Economics........................... 15
Economic Research Service............................ 16
National Agricultural Statistics Service............. 17
Agricultural Research Service........................ 18
National Institute of Food and Agriculture........... 30
Office of the Under Secretary for Marketing and
Regulatory Programs................................ 41
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service........... 42
Agricultural Marketing Service....................... 49
Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety........ 53
Food Safety and Inspection Service................... 54
Title II:
Farm Production and Conservation Programs:
Office of the Under Secretary for Farm Production and
Conser-
vation................................................. 56
Farm Production and Conservation Business Center......... 56
Farm Service Agency...................................... 57
Risk Management Agency................................... 63
Natural Resources Conservation Service................... 63
Corporations:
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Fund.................. 66
Commodity Credit Corporation Fund........................ 67
Title III:
Rural Development Programs:
Office of the Under Secretary for Rural Development...... 69
Rural Housing Service.................................... 70
Rural Community Facilities Program Account............... 75
Rural Business--Cooperative Service...................... 77
Rural Utilities Service.................................. 82
Title IV:
Domestic Food Programs:
Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and
Consumer Services...................................... 88
Food and Nutrition Service............................... 89
Title V:
Foreign Assistance and Related Programs:
Office of the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign
Agricultural Affairs................................... 99
Foreign Agricultural Service............................. 100
Title VI:
Related Agency and Food and Drug Administration:
Department of Health and Human Services: Food and Drug
Administration......................................... 104
Independent Agency: Farm Credit Administration........... 120
Title VII: General Provisions.................................... 123
Program, Project, and Activity................................... 126
Compliance With Paragraph 7, Rule XVI of the Standing Rules of
the
Senate......................................................... 126
Compliance With Paragraph 7(c), Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules
of the Senate.................................................. 127
Compliance With Paragraph 12, Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of
the
Senate......................................................... 128
Budgetary Impact of Bill......................................... 129
Comparative Statement of Budget Authority........................ 130
BREAKDOWN BY TITLE
The amounts of obligational authority for each of the seven
titles are shown in the following table. A detailed tabulation,
showing comparisons, appears at the end of this report.
Recommendations for individual appropriation items, projects
and activities are carried in this report under the appropriate
item headings.
[In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year 2019 Committee
enacted recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title I: Agricultural programs.... 7,407,928 7,869,197
Title II: Farm Production and 33,569,899 37,309,500
Conservation programs............
Title III: Rural economic and 3,011,730 3,016,719
community development programs...
Title IV: Domestic food programs.. 103,180,329 99,271,795
Title V: Foreign assistance and 1,937,983 2,156,348
related programs.................
Title VI: Related agencies and 3,080,466 3,160,466
Food and Drug Administration.....
Title VII: General provisions..... 3,496 -693,573
Supplemental Appropriations for ................. 8,000
Disaster.........................
-------------------------------------
Total, new budget 152,191,831 152,098,452
(obligational) authority...
------------------------------------------------------------------------
OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY OF THE BILL
The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug
Administration, and Related Agencies appropriations bill
provides funding for a wide array of Federal programs, mostly
in the U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA]. These programs
include agricultural research, education, and extension
activities; natural resources conservation programs; farm
income and support programs; marketing and inspection
activities; domestic food assistance programs; rural housing,
economic and community development, and telecommunication and
electrification assistance; and various export and
international activities of the USDA.
The bill also provides funding for the Food and Drug
Administration [FDA] and allows the use of collected fees for
administrative expenses of the Farm Credit Administration
[FCA].
The discretionary programs and activities of USDA and FDA
that are supported by this bill include high priority
responsibilities entrusted to the Federal Government and its
partners to protect human health and safety, contribute to
economic recovery, and achieve policy objectives strongly
supported by the American people. The ability to provide for
these measures is made difficult by growing pressure on
available levels of discretionary spending as a consequence of
the overall public debate on Federal spending, revenues, and
size of the Federal debt.
Too often, the USDA programs funded by this bill are
confused with farm subsidies and other mandatory spending more
properly associated with multi-year farm bills. In contrast,
this bill provides annual funding for programs familiar to all
Americans such as protecting food safety through the Food
Safety and Inspection Service and the Food and Drug
Administration, which also plays a vital role in maintaining
the safety of the Nation's blood supply and availability of
safe and effective medical products and other components of our
health system. This bill also provides funding to fight against
the introduction and spread of noxious or infectious and often
invasive pests and diseases that threaten our plant and animal
health environments, as well as funding for many other missions
of dire importance to the American people.
In the context of overall pressures on spending and the
competing priorities that the Committee faces, this bill as
reported provides the proper amount of emphasis on
agricultural, rural development, and other programs and
activities funded by the bill. It is consistent with the
Subcommittee's allocation for fiscal year 2020.
All accounts in the bill have been closely examined to
ensure that an appropriate level of funding is provided to
carry out the programs of USDA, FDA, and FCA. Details on each
of the accounts, the funding level, and the Committee's
justifications for the funding levels are included in the
report.
REPORTS TO CONGRESS
The Committee has, throughout this report, requested
agencies to provide studies and reports on various issues. The
Committee utilizes these reports to evaluate program
performance and make decisions on future appropriations. The
Committee directs that all studies and reports be provided to
the Committee as electronic documents in an agreed upon format
within 120 days after the date of enactment, unless an
alternative submission schedule is specifically stated in the
report request.
TITLE I
AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS
Processing, Research, and Marketing
Office of the Secretary
(including transfers of funds)
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $46,603,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 41,373,000
Committee recommendation................................ 46,782,000
The Secretary of Agriculture, assisted by the Deputy
Secretary, Under Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries, Chief
Information Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and members of
their immediate staffs, directs and coordinates the work of the
Department. This includes developing policy, maintaining
relationships with agricultural organizations and others in the
development of farm programs, and maintaining liaison with the
Executive Office of the President and Members of Congress on
all matters pertaining to agricultural policy.
The general authority of the Secretary to supervise and
control the work of the Department is contained in the Organic
Act (Public Law 101-624). The delegation of regulatory
functions to Department employees and authorization of
appropriations to carry out these functions is contained in 7
U.S.C. 450c-450g.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $46,782,000
for the Office of the Secretary. The Committee recommendation
includes the following accounts under the Office of the
Secretary: Office of the Secretary; Office of Tribal Relations;
Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Coordination; Office
of Advocacy and Outreach; Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Administration; Departmental Administration; Office of
Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations; and Office of
Communications. The following table reflects the amount
provided by the Committee for each office and activity:
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year 2019 Fiscal year 2020 Committee
enacted budget request recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Office of the Secretary................................... 5,051 4,850 6,030
Office of Homeland Security............................... 1,496 1,448 1,496
Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement.............. 4,711 1,672 4,711
Office of Assistant Secretary for Administration.......... 875 875 875
Departmental Administration............................... 22,301 21,376 22,301
Office of Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations. 3,869 3,091 3,869
Office of Communications.................................. 7,500 7,261 7,500
-----------------------------------------------------
Total............................................... 46,603 41,373 46,782
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barriers to Trade.--The Committee is aware of trade
barriers related to herbicide tolerances and recognizes the
need for research into contamination sources. The Committee
encourages the Secretary to provide competitive grants to study
this further.
Century Farms.--The Committee supports recent authorization
of the Century Farms Program in the Agriculture Improvement Act
of 2018 (Public Law 115-334) to recognize farms that have been
in operation for 100 years and encourages the Department to
move quickly to establish this program.
Commodity Credit Corporation [CCC] Obligations and
Commitments.--The Secretary is directed to notify the
Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate in writing
15 days prior to the obligation or commitment of any emergency
funds from the CCC.
Farming Opportunities and Training Outreach Program.--The
Committee appreciates the advancements made in the Agriculture
Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334) combining the
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program [BFRDP] and
the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers
and Ranchers program under an umbrella program called the
Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Program, which
provides permanent baseline funding for the program. Creating
and expanding new farming opportunities and supporting farmer
training and technical assistance is critical to the future of
American agriculture and our food system. The Committee is
aware that despite these farm bill advances, annual funding for
BFRDP is actually lower than it was under the Agricultural Act
of 2014 (Public Law 113-79). The Committee maintains its strong
interest in supporting beginning farmer training and exploring
ways to restore and increase program funding.
Grain Shipment Delays.--The Committee is aware of emergency
lock repairs on the Columbia River, lock maintenance on the
Illinois River, and record-breaking flooding that is causing
significant delays for barge traffic on our Nation's rivers and
inland waterway system. The Committee notes that such delays
can have considerable economic impacts on farmers, local ports,
rural communities, grain exports, the timber industry, gasoline
prices, and consumers. The Secretary is directed to fully
utilize all available authorities to support farmers and the
agricultural industry through this challenging situation.
Land Grants and Acequias.--The Committee recognizes that
Section 2304(e) of Public Law 115-334 now allows acequias and
land-grant mercedes to apply directly to the Enviromental
Quality Incentives Program [EQIP], which provides Federal
funding and technical assistance to farmers throughout the
nation. The Committee appreciates that there are hundreds of
acequias and dozens of land grants in New Mexico that can now
gain direct access to this important conservation program. The
Committee encourages USDA to implement its final interim
guidance in a manner that provides funding for these important
conservation programs, including for water conservation and
irrigation efficiency, so these traditional communities can
perform work on their communal lands, range lands, general
infrastructure, and irrigation infrastructure.
Livestock Crossing.--The Committee is concerned with the
ongoing problem of the crossing of livestock from Mexico into
the U.S. without proper inspection, which creates risk of
disease and loss of forage for U.S. ranchers in the Southwest
border region. The Committee directs the agency, in
consultation with other Federal and State agencies, to develop
a plan of action to better prevent and reduce unauthorized
international crossing of livestock on the Southwest border.
Local Agriculture Market Program.--The Committee
appreciates the advancements made in the Agriculture
Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334) combining the
Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program [FMLFPP] and
the Value-Added Producer Grant program under an umbrella
program called the Local Agriculture Market Program, which
provides permanent baseline funding for the program. Creating
and expanding new markets is critical to the future of American
agriculture and our food system. The Committee is aware that
despite the establishment of permanent baseline funding, annual
funding for FMLFPP is actually lower than it was under the
Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79). The Committee
maintains its strong interest in supporting local and regional
market development and exploring ways to restore and increase
program funding.
Multi-Agency Transparency.--The Committee expresses support
for increasing transparency within all agencies of USDA. The
agencies are encouraged to disclose costs associated with
analyses required by the National Environmental Policy Act.
Outreach to Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and
Ranchers.--The Committee supports the efforts of the Office of
Advocacy and Outreach to increase the accessibility of USDA
programs to underserved constituents and notes that $15,000,000
in mandatory funds is available to assist socially
disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers in owning and
operating farms and ranches to meet the growing need for
financial, production, management, and other assistance to
those communities and address workforce shortages.
Additionally, the Committee recommendation includes $3,000,000
in discretionary funding for these activities.
Pricing Concerns.--The Committee is aware that some cattle
producers are concerned about market conditions in the wake of
a fire at a large beef processing facility. The Committee
recognizes the importance of ensuring pricing mechanisms are
transparent and provide reliable price discovery for cattle
producers and the rest of the supply chain nationwide. The
Committee directs the Secretary to have the Office of the Chief
Economist analyze these issues, including participating in the
recently announced investigation.
Resource Conservation and Development Councils.--Since
1964, the Resource Conservation and Development [RC&D] Councils
have worked at the grassroots level with local leaders to plan,
develop, and carry out programs for land and water conservation
and management. The Committee encourages the Secretary to
consider the maximum practical use of RC&D Councils, where such
RC&D Councils meet agency performance requirements, in the
delivery of USDA programs and services.
Salton Sea.--The Committee is deeply concerned by the
current and future health, environmental, agricultural, and
natural resource impacts at the Salton Sea. The Committee notes
that the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-
334) made important changes to conservation programs to assist
States like California in addressing regional natural resource
priorities, such as the Salton Sea. The Committee directs the
Department to implement these amended conservation provisions
as soon as possible and urges the Department to work with the
State of California, local partners, and other Federal agencies
to address the growing problems facing the Salton Sea.
Staff Vacancies.--The Committee is concerned with the
number of staff vacancies within USDA. The Committee continues
to provide funding increases for many agencies at USDA, yet
staffing levels continue to decline. This creates delays in the
processing of applications and the release of important funding
throughout the Department. The Committee expects the Secretary
to staff agencies at the appropriated levels, not the budget
request level. The Committee also expects a report, no later
than 180 days after enactment, that details staffing levels for
all research agencies; the Farm Service Agency; all marketing
agencies; Rural Development; Food and Nutrition Service; and
the Foreign Agricultural Service. The report shall include
vacancies that have remained unfilled for more than six months,
plans to fill those vacancies, and the percentage and number of
vacancy announcements that were posted for current internal
employees only and for less than two weeks. The report shall
also include for each agency the number of full-time equivalent
[FTE] staff utilized and the number of vacancies not filled for
fiscal years 2015 through 2019.
State Rural Development Councils.--The Committee recognizes
the successful work of State Rural Development Councils [SRDCs]
and their role in advancing rural America and promoting
strength and prosperity across the country and urges the
Secretary to provide resources to help improve and expand the
impact of SRDCs.
Urban Agriculture.--The Committee is aware of a steady
increase in urban agriculture initiatives taking place in
metropolitan areas across the country. The Committee strongly
supports such initiatives and recognizes that successful,
robust urban farms can positively impact urban communities and
residents in a variety of ways by providing education,
entrepreneurial opportunities, and job training; addressing
shortages of fresh fruits and vegetables; increasing health and
wellness of pregnant women and young children; and reducing
obesity rates, recidivism, and urban blight. The Committee
commends the Department's efforts to foster such initiatives
and encourages the Secretary to increase support and outreach
for urban agriculture, including grants, loans, and technical
assistance for these innovative urban horticulture projects.
Wheat Grading.--The Committee is concerned about unfair
wheat grading practices that negatively affect American wheat
growers that export to Canada. Current Canadian wheat grading
law and the varietal registration system automatically
downgrades American wheat to the lowest quality designation
regardless of the type or quality of the wheat. In the United
States, however, our grading system provides a fair examination
for wheat imported from Canada, regardless of the seed variety.
This discrepancy needs to be addressed to ensure our wheat
growers are being treated fairly.
Executive Operations
Executive operations were established as a result of the
reorganization of the Department to provide a support team for
USDA policy officials and selected department-wide services.
Activities under the executive operations include the Office of
the Chief Economist, the National Appeals Division, and the
Office of Budget and Program Analysis.
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF ECONOMIST
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $21,286,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 18,513,000
Committee recommendation................................ 24,286,000
The Office of the Chief Economist advises the Secretary of
Agriculture on the economic implications of Department policies
and programs. The Office serves as the single focal point for
the Nation's economic intelligence and analysis, risk
assessment, and cost-benefit analysis related to domestic and
international food and agriculture issues, provides policy
direction for renewable energy development, conducts analyses
of climate change impacts on agriculture and forestry, and is
responsible for coordination and review of all commodity and
aggregate agricultural and food-related data used to develop
outlook and situation material within the Department.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $24,286,000
for the Office of the Chief Economist.
Policy Research.--The Committee recommendation includes
$8,000,000 for policy research under 7 U.S.C. 3155 for entities
with existing institutional capacity to conduct complex
economic and policy analysis and a lengthy and well-documented
record of conducting policy analysis for the benefit of USDA,
the Congressional Budget Office, or the Congress. To maximize
resources, the Committee expects the Department to focus
efforts on entities that have developed models, databases, and
staff necessary to conduct in-depth analysis of impacts of
agriculture or rural development policy proposals on rural
communities, farmers, agribusiness, taxpayers, and consumers.
The Department is encouraged to fund regional and State-level
baseline projections in addition to currently available
national and international outlooks.
Office of Hearings and Appeals
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $15,222,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 13,474,000
Committee recommendation................................ 15,222,000
The Office of Hearings and Appeals conducts administrative
hearings and reviews of adverse program decisions made by the
Rural Development mission area, the Farm Service Agency [FSA],
the Risk Management Agency [RMA], and the Natural Resources
Conservation Service [NRCS].
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $15,222,000
for the Office of Hearings and Appeals.
OFFICE OF BUDGET AND PROGRAM ANALYSIS
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $9,525,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 8,199,000
Committee recommendation................................ 9,525,000
The Office of Budget and Program Analysis provides
direction and administration of the Department's budgetary
functions including development, presentation, and execution of
the budget; reviewing program and legislative proposals for
program, budget, and related implications; analyzing program
and resource issues and alternatives, and preparing summaries
of pertinent data to aid the Secretary and departmental policy
officials and agency program managers in the decisionmaking
process; and providing departmentwide coordination for and
participation in the presentation of budget-related matters to
the Committees of the Congress, the media, and interested
public. The Office also provides department-wide coordination
of the preparation and processing of regulations and
legislative programs and reports.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $9,525,000 for
the Office of Budget and Program Analysis.
Office of the Chief Information Officer
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $55,630,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 101,400,000
Committee recommendation................................ 101,400,000
The Office of the Chief Information Officer was established
in the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-106), which
required the establishment of a Chief Information Officer for
major Federal agencies. This Office provides policy guidance,
leadership, coordination, and direction to the Department's
information management and information technology [IT]
investment activities in support of USDA program delivery, and
is the lead office in USDA e-gov efforts. The Office provides
long-range planning guidance, implements measures to ensure
that technology investments are economical and effective,
coordinates interagency information resources management
projects, and implements standards to promote information
exchange and technical interoperability. In addition, the
Office of the Chief Information Officer is responsible for
certain activities financed under the Department's Working
Capital Fund (7 U.S.C. 2235). The Office also provides
telecommunication and automated data processing [ADP] services
to USDA agencies through the National Information Technology
Center with locations in Fort Collins, Colorado; Kansas City,
Missouri; and Washington, DC. Direct ADP operational services
are also provided to the Office of the Secretary, the Office of
the General Counsel, the Office of Communications, the Office
of the Chief Financial Officer, and Departmental Management.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $101,400,000
for the Office of the Chief Information Officer. This includes
an increase of $10,950,000 for enhanced cybersecurity
activities.
Software Licenses.--The Committee encourages the
Department's Chief Information Officer to perform periodic
automated inventories of software licenses in use across the
Department. The Department should compare those usage numbers
to its purchased licenses and seek to increase efficiency
wherever it identifies discrepancies. The Department is to
consider using this information to obtain department-wide
acquisitions as opposed to component-specific purchases of
licenses.
Office of the Chief Financial Officer
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $6,028,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 13,500,000
Committee recommendation................................ 13,500,000
The Office of the Chief Financial Officer is responsible
for the dual roles of Chief Financial Management Policy Officer
and Chief Financial Management Advisor to the Secretary and
mission area heads. The Office provides leadership for all
financial management, accounting, travel, Federal assistance,
and strategic planning performance measurement activities
within the Department. The Office is also responsible for the
management and operation of the National Finance Center and the
Departmental Working Capital Fund.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $13,500,000
for the Office of the Chief Financial Officer.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $901,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 800,000
Committee recommendation................................ 901,000
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
provides oversight of civil rights and related functions. This
includes coordination of the administration of civil rights
laws and regulations for employees of USDA and participants in
programs of the Department and ensuring compliance with civil
rights laws.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $901,000 for
the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.
Office of Civil Rights
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $24,206,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 21,228,000
Committee recommendation................................ 24,206,000
The Office of Civil Rights provides overall leadership
responsibility for all department-wide civil rights activities.
These activities include employment opportunity as well as
program nondiscrimination policy development, analysis,
coordination, and compliance. The Office is responsible for
providing leadership in facilitating the fair and equitable
treatment of USDA employees and for monitoring program
activities to ensure that all USDA programs are delivered in a
nondiscriminatory manner. The Office's outreach functions
provide leadership, coordination, facilitation, and expertise
to internal and external partners to ensure equal and timely
access to USDA programs for all constituents, with emphasis on
the underserved, through information sharing, technical
assistance, and training.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $24,206,000
for the Office of Civil Rights.
Agriculture Buildings and Facilities
(including transfers of funds)
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $59,967,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 331,114,000
Committee recommendation................................ 331,114,000
Department headquarters presently operates in a two-
building, Government-owned complex in downtown Washington, DC;
the George Washington Carver Center in Beltsville, Maryland;
and in leased buildings in the metropolitan Washington, DC,
area. Under an arrangement with the General Services
Administration, USDA operates, maintains, and repairs these
facilities, in lieu of rental payments. For the last several
years the Department has implemented a strategic space plan to
locate staff more efficiently, renovate its buildings, and
eliminate safety hazards, particularly in the Agriculture South
Building.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $331,114,000
for Agriculture Buildings and Facilities.
Hazardous Materials Management
(including transfers of funds)
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $3,503,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 3,290,000
Committee recommendation................................ 3,503,000
Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (Public Law 96-510) and the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (Public Law 94-580), the
Department has the responsibility to meet the same standards
regarding the storage and disposition of hazardous materials as
private businesses. The Department is required to contain,
cleanup, monitor, and inspect for hazardous materials in areas
under the Department's jurisdiction.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $3,503,000 for
Hazardous Materials Management.
Office of Inspector General
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $98,208,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 98,208,000
Committee recommendation................................ 98,208,000
The Office of Inspector General [OIG] was established on
October 12, 1978, by the Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public
Law 95-452). This act expanded and provided specific
authorities for the activities of OIG which had previously been
carried out under the general authorities of the Secretary.
The Office is administered by an inspector general who
reports directly to the Secretary. Functions and
responsibilities of this Office include direction and control
of audit and investigative activities within the Department,
formulation of audit and investigative policies and procedures
regarding Department programs and operations, and analysis and
coordination of program-related audit and investigation
activities performed by other Department agencies.
The activities of this Office are designed to assure
compliance with existing laws, policies, regulations, and
programs of the Department's agencies, and to provide
appropriate officials with the means for prompt corrective
action where deviations have occurred. The scope of audit and
investigative activities is large and includes administrative,
program, and criminal matters. These activities are
coordinated, when appropriate, with various audit and
investigative agencies of the executive and legislative
branches of the Government.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $98,208,000
for the Office of Inspector General. The recommendation also
includes funding for OIG to address violations of section 26 of
the Animal Welfare Act (Public Law 89-544) and to coordinate
with State and local law enforcement personnel in this effort.
Office of the General Counsel
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $45,146,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 41,242,000
Committee recommendation................................ 45,146,000
The Office of the General Counsel provides all legal
advice, counsel, and services to the Secretary and to all
agencies, offices, and corporations of the Department. The
Office represents the Department in administrative proceedings;
nonlitigation debt collection proceedings; State water rights
adjudications; proceedings before the Environmental Protection
Agency, Interstate Commerce Commission, Federal Maritime
Administration, and International Trade Commission; and, in
conjunction with the Department of Justice, in judicial
proceedings and litigation.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $45,146,000
for the Office of the General Counsel.
Office of Ethics
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $4,136,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 2,752,000
Committee recommendation................................ 4,136,000
The Office of Ethics is the centralized and consolidated
office implementing USDA's ethics program throughout the
Department. The Office provides ethics services to all
employees at the Department concerning advice, training, and
guidance about compliance with conflict of interest and
impartiality rules. This includes complying with the
requirements of the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act
(Public Law 112-105) and the Office of Government Ethics
regulatory requirements (5 CFR parts 2634 through 2641).
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $4,136,000 for
the Office of Ethics.
Office of the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $800,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 800,000
Committee recommendation................................ 800,000
The Office of the Under Secretary for Research, Education,
and Economics provides direction and coordination in carrying
out the laws enacted by the Congress for food and agricultural
research, education, extension, and economic and statistical
information. The Office has oversight and management
responsibilities for the Agricultural Research Service [ARS];
National Institute of Food and Agriculture [NIFA]; Economic
Research Service [ERS]; and National Agricultural Statistics
Service [NASS].
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $800,000 for
the Office of the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and
Economics.
Hemp.--The Committee is aware of statements made by the
Department acknowledging the eligibility of researchers
participating in hemp pilot programs, as defined by Section
7606 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79) to
compete for Federal funds awarded by the Department. The
Committee directs the Department to work with and inform
stakeholders of this eligibility and to support hemp research,
as authorized by Section 7606 of the Agricultural Act of 2014
(Public Law 113-79) and Subtitle G of the Agricultural
Marketing Act of 1946.
Honeybee and Pollinator Research.--The Committee recognizes
the important role of both native and managed pollinators
within the U.S. agriculture sector and notes that the
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334) called
for enhanced coordination of honeybee and pollinator research.
The Committee is aware that honeybees and pollinators continue
to face mounting challenges, including disease and habitat
loss, and the Committee believes that research and education
are key to maintaining a healthy honeybee and pollinator
population. The Committee directs the Secretary to prioritize
research and work on pollinator health and to continue to
gather data on an annual basis with respect to the losses of
such colonies, rising input costs, and pollinators' overall
economic value to the food economy.
U.S. Dairy Education and Training.--The Committee
encourages NIFA to work cooperatively with State-run
universities in the southwest with experience in bringing
together students and young dairy professionals from multiple
States in summer programs designed to provide practical dairy
teaching, with the goal of facilitating research into workforce
safety and antimicrobial stewardship.
Economic Research Service
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $86,757,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 60,500,000
Committee recommendation................................ 86,757,000
The Economic Research Service [ERS] provides economic and
other social science research and analysis for public and
private decisions on agriculture, food, the environment, and
rural America. The information that ERS produces is available
to the general public and helps the executive and legislative
branches develop, administer, and evaluate agricultural and
rural policies and programs.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $86,757,000
for the Economic Research Service.
Agricultural Commodity Trade.--The Committee recognizes the
economic importance of international trade for U.S.
agricultural commodities and believes that producers and
markets would benefit from having access to additional data on
the country of destination or origin of those commodities.
Therefore, the Committee directs ERS to report on a quarterly
basis the top five agricultural commodity exports and imports
by State and to identify the country of destination or origin
of those commodities.
Feed Costs.--The Committee maintains funding provided in
fiscal year 2019 for ERS to expand its current feed cost
components surveys nationally.
Organic Data Analysis.--The organic industry has grown at a
tremendous rate over the past several years, and accurate data
for the production, pricing, and marketing of organic products
is essential. Therefore, the Committee encourages ERS to
continue and expand the efforts relating to organic data
analysis.
Rural Tract Codes.--The Committee recognizes the Federal
Office of Rural Health Policy's [FORHP] use of Rural-Urban
Commuting Area [RUCA] codes, developed by ERS to define rural
populations. While FORHP applies RUCA to Census Tracts inside
Metropolitan counties and considers tracts with codes 4-10
rural, it does provide exceptions for tracts with codes 2 or 3.
Currently, exceptions are added for tracts with large areas and
sparse populations. The Committee directs ERS to coordinate
with FORHP to conduct research on the feasibility of
identifying tracts with difficult and mountainous terrain. For
the purposes of this census tract exception, ``difficult and
mountainous terrain'' means when traveling between a rural
hospital and any other hospital in the area, an individual is
required to traverse at least 15 miles of roads located in
mountainous terrain. Roads shall be deemed to be located in
mountainous terrain if such roads are in areas identified as
mountains on any official maps or other documents prepared for
and issued to the public by the State agency responsible for
highways or by the U.S. Geological Survey.
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $174,517,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 163,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 175,294,000
The National Agricultural Statistics Service [NASS]
administers the Department's program of collecting and
publishing current National, State, and county agricultural
statistics. These statistics provide accurate and timely
projections of current agricultural production and measures of
the economic and environmental welfare of the agricultural
sector which are essential for making effective policy,
production, and marketing decisions. NASS also furnishes
statistical services to other USDA and Federal agencies in
support of their missions, and provides consulting, technical
assistance, and training to developing countries.
NASS is also responsible for administration of the Census
of Agriculture, which is taken every five years and provides
comprehensive data on the agricultural economy, including the
following: data on the number of farms, land use, production
expenses, farm product values, value of land and buildings,
farm size and characteristics of farm operators, market value
of agricultural production sold, acreage of major crops,
inventory of livestock and poultry, and farm irrigation
practices.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $175,294,000
for the National Agricultural Statistics Service, of which
$45,300,000 is for the Census of Agriculture.
The Committee does not accept any proposed eliminations or
reductions of ongoing activities, including Acreage, Crop
Production and Grain Stocks; the Bee and Honey Program; the
Chemical Use Data Series; the Floriculture Crops Report; and
Fruit and Vegetable Reports. The funding provided will allow
NASS to resume or begin compilation of these reports at the
frequency levels assumed in fiscal year 2019, and NASS is
directed to resume all of these reports immediately upon
enactment of this act.
Barley Estimates.--The Committee is encouraged that NASS
has reinstated acreage and production estimates for barley in
States that were previously discontinued in 2016 and 2017. The
Committee expects NASS to continue providing barley acreage and
production estimates for those States.
Chemical Use Data Series.--The Committee believes that the
Chemical Use Data Series provides timely, valuable information
on fertilizer and chemical use data on major field crops and
selected specialty crops. The Committee encourages NASS to
continue funding the collection and analysis of chemical use
data as well as practices such as integrated pest management.
The Committee supports the NASS effort to resume collecting
Fruit Chemical Use data and Vegetable Chemical Use data in
alternating years and also directs the continuation of this
practice to ensure equal access to Federal statistics.
Floriculture Crops Report.--The Committee recognizes the
importance of the Floriculture Crops Report and recommends an
increase of $500,000 for NASS to complete the report. The
Committee directs NASS to include data from Alaska in compiling
the report.
Organic Data Initiative.--The Committee encourages NASS and
AMS to coordinate activities related to expanding organic price
reporting and organic data collection.
Agricultural Research Service
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $1,303,266,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 1,203,491,000
Committee recommendation................................ 1,424,966,000
The Agricultural Research Service [ARS] is responsible for
conducting basic, applied, and developmental research through
its major program areas of New Products/Product Quality/Value
Added; Livestock/Crop Production; Food Safety; Livestock/Crop
Protection; Human Nutrition; and Environmental Stewardship. The
research applies to a wide range of goals; commodities; natural
resources; fields of science; and geographic, climatic, and
environmental conditions.
ARS is also responsible for the Abraham Lincoln National
Agricultural Library which provides agricultural information
and library services through traditional library functions and
modern electronic dissemination to agencies of the USDA, public
and private organizations, and individuals.
As the USDA's in-house agricultural research unit, ARS has
major responsibilities for conducting and leading the national
agricultural research effort. It provides initiative and
leadership in five areas: research on broad regional and
national problems, research to support Federal action and
regulatory agencies, expertise to meet national emergencies,
research support for international programs, and scientific
resources to the Executive Branch and Congress.
The mission of ARS research is to develop and transfer
solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority
and provide information access and dissemination to ensure
high-quality, safe food and other agricultural products; assess
the nutritional needs of Americans; sustain a competitive
agricultural economy; enhance the natural resource base and the
environment; and provide economic opportunities for rural
citizens, communities, and society as a whole.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,424,966,000
for salaries and expenses of the Agricultural Research Service.
The Committee does not concur with the President's budget
request regarding the termination of research programs and
laboratory closures. The Committee expects extramural research
to be funded at no less than the fiscal year 2019 levels.
Aerial Application Research.--The Committee recognizes the
importance of the ARS Aerial Application Technology Program.
The program conducts innovative research making aerial
applications more efficient, effective, and precise. Research
for aerial application serves the public good as a vital tool
for the future, as agriculture strives to meet the food, fiber,
and bio-energy demands of a growing population.
Agricultural Genomics.--The Committee provides no less than
the fiscal year 2019 level for agricultural genomic research to
expand the knowledge of public and private sector entities and
persons concerning genomes for species of importance to the
food and agriculture sectors in order to maximize the return on
the investment in genomics of agriculturally important species.
Agroforestry.--Agroforestry can provide on-farm financial
and environmental benefits while also addressing the regional
and national-scale issues of clean water, wildlife habitat, and
hypoxia. Agroforesters manage trees with crops, livestock, and
pasture to combine the best of both agriculture and forestry.
Recognizing the importance of agroforestry to farm practices
and the environment, the Committee recommendation includes no
less than the fiscal year 2019 level to develop integrated
strategies to manage multifunctional agricultural landscapes
that combine trees with agricultural and horticultural crops,
forages, and grazing livestock for optimal economic,
environmental, and natural resources benefits.
Alfalfa Research.--The Committee notes that research into
alfalfa seed and alfalfa forage systems holds the potential to
increase yields, increase milk production, and improve
genetics, and the Committee recommendation includes an increase
of $1,000,000 to support research focused on alfalfa
improvement. Research should focus on using tools to accelerate
and enhance existing breeding programs focused on improving
yield and quality parameters; developing innovative harvesting
and utilization systems; developing new markets for co-
products; and quantifying environmental benefits from alfalfa-
based systems.
Alternative Technologies for Animal Waste Utilization.--The
Committee provides $1,500,000 for the National Soil Dynamics
Laboratory to conduct research and development of technologies
to recover phosphorus from manure, transform manure into
secondary byproducts, and find alternative, environmentally
safe, and economical usages of manure. The research may also
explore environmentally safe methods and appropriate rates of
manure application for growing crops and vegetables and the
development of alternative feedstock for livestock by raising
aquatic zooplanktons on manure wastewater.
Aquaculture Seedstock.--The Committee remains concerned
that vital seedstock to support the development of aquaculture
in Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico will be sourced from
foreign aquaculture producers. Domestic on-land recirculating
aquaculture systems are highly capable of producing seedstock
to support significant domestic on-land and offshore
aquaculture industry growth including through broodstock
acquisition and care, spawning, larval culture techniques.
Therefore, the Committee encourages USDA to continue working
collaboratively with U.S. aquaculture producers and research
institutions that specialize in the development of aquaculture
technologies and provides an additional $1,000,000 for the
development of aquaculture technology that will ensure a steady
supply of warm water marine fish seedstock for economic growth
of the U.S. aquaculture industry.
Atlantic Salmon Breeding Program.--The Committee directs
ARS to continue its Atlantic salmon breeding and domestication
work. The Committee notes that domestic salmon farms are
required to only use strains of salmon that are of North
American origin and that these strains need substantial
breeding improvement in order to be competitive with strains
currently used by foreign producers. The Committee notes that
the current ARS Atlantic salmon breeding program lacks a
geneticist and supports efforts by the Department to address
this need.
Blueberry Breeding.--The Committee provides $1,000,000 to
fund a comprehensive national blueberry breeding research
program to support research in the areas of physiology,
horticulture, plant pathology, entomology, and fruit quality
that complement breeding. The research will apply the latest
tools in molecular breeding to blueberry improvement as well as
developing cultivars suitable for machine harvesting.
Cattle Fever Ticks.--Cattle fever ticks pose a significant
health threat to U.S. cattle and other species across the
entire southern region of the U.S. The Committee provides
$1,000,000 for research to address the spread of cattle fever
ticks.
Center for Pollinator Health.--The Committee is aware that
bees play a crucial role in U.S. agriculture as pollinators and
that continued colony loss poses a serious threat to future
food production. While the Committee commends the Department
for the steps it has taken to better understand this problem
and how to best address it, the Committee is concerned that the
maximum benefits of multiagency efforts have yet to be
achieved. The Committee provides an additional $2,000,000 for
the Center for Pollinator Health in order to provide a central
Federal voice on pollinator health. The Committee encourages
ARS to collaborate with Federal and land-grant university
partners to examine the impact of pesticides, varroa mites, and
other potential contributors to bee colony declines.
Ceratocystis Disease.--The Committee directs ARS to
continue its study of Ceratocystis in the United States and
implement actions and recommendations for response and
management pursuant to Senate Report 115-131.
Chronic Wasting Disease.--The Committee recognizes the
importance of a live test for cervids potentially affected with
chronic wasting disease and provides an additional $1,000,000
for research dedicated to the development of such test and
research on pathways of transmission.
Citrus Greening Disease Research.--The Committee commends
ARS on its research efforts on citrus greening disease and
encourages the agency to continue working to develop methods to
reduce transmission, enhance immunity in citrus trees, and work
with industry, universities, growers, and other partners to
develop effective control mechanisms. The Committee also
encourages ARS to coordinate its efforts with the
HuanglongbiAng Multi-Agency Coordination [HLB-MAC] group.
Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia.--The Committee
recognizes that the focus of ARS's Foreign Animal Disease
Diagnostic Laboratory is to research ways to detect and defeat
dangerous Tier 1 High-Consequence Foreign Animal Diseases and
Pests and to prevent their introduction and spread in the U.S.
The Committee is also concerned about the potential harm to the
cattle industry from contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, which
can have a mortality rate as high as 80 percent. The Committee
encourages ARS to partner with academia to develop improved
diagnostic tests and vaccines for this harmful disease.
Cotton Blue Disease.--The Committee is aware that emerging
Cotton Blue Disease identified in Southeastern States could
have a devastating impact on the cotton industry if it
continues to spread. The Committee provides $5,000,000 and
directs ARS to coordinate with APHIS, academic partners, and
industry to develop a multi-State sentinel program with the
purpose of conducting research to establish biomarkers for the
disease and determine if there are viable extension management
strategies pertaining to aphid control and general cotton
management.
Cotton Ginning.--The Committee recognizes the importance of
pollution abatement, improving fiber quality, ginning
efficiency, cotton seed and other byproducts, and provides an
additional $500,000 to expand research in cotton ginning and
innovation by existing laboratories.
Cover Crops Research and Outreach.--The Committee
recognizes the importance of developing profitable and
practicable cover crop options for use in dairy, grain, and
vegetable production systems, including for use in no-till
organic systems and as forages. Therefore, the Committee
recommendation includes an additional $750,000 to support
research with the purposes of improving measures of soil health
and resiliency; varietal development; optimizing dairy forage
species combinations; timing and strategies for cover crop
seeding and termination; forage integration into organic dairy
systems; and mitigation of environmental and extreme rainfall
impacts on water quality and soil security for diverse cover
crop systems.
Cranberry Research.--The Committee recognizes the need for
advancements in water conservation, pest control, disease
reduction, and fruit quality improvements in cranberry
production. The Committee recommendation includes an increase
of $1,000,000 for the improvement of cranberry yields, pest
management, disease management, and water resource management
by developing fields devoted to cranberry research and
collection and storage of samples for analysis in appropriate
existing laboratory facilities.
East Coast Shellfish Breeding.--The Committee recognizes
the dangers of parasites, bacterial and viral diseases to
shellfish farmers and the importance of selective breeding to
combat these infections. The Committee provides $1,200,000 for
shellfish breeding research focused on the East Coast.
Emerging Cereal Rust Diseases.--The Committee is aware that
emerging cereal rust diseases are a threat to domestic and
world food supplies. Therefore, the Department should continue
to dedicate funding to speed efforts to combat cereal rust
disease, including development of Ug99-resistant wheat
varieties.
Feed Enhancement.--The Committee recognizes the potential
benefits of using Bromoform [CHBR3], currently produced by
Asparagopsis taxiformis (red seaweed), as a cattle feed
enhancement to reduce pollution. The Committee includes no less
than the fiscal year 2019 level for the Livestock Nutrient
Management Research Unit [LNMRU] to examine the applicability
and potential benefits of Bromoform, whether produced by
Asparagopsis taxiformis or an alternative method, as a cattle
feed enhancement.
Floriculture and Nursery Research.--The Committee
recognizes the economic importance of the floriculture and
nursery sector of agriculture and the industry's need for
continued innovation. The Committee provides no less than the
fiscal year 2019 funding level for ARS to support academic and
Federal researchers to pursue efforts in crop protection,
breeding, mechanization, and other areas through USDA's
Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative.
Food Systems.--The Committee recommendation includes an
additional $2,000,000 for ARS to support a Food Systems Center
at a land-grant institution that addresses how local, regional,
and global food systems can provide nutritious and culturally
appropriate food, regardless of individual life circumstances.
Foodborne Pathogens.--Salmonella continues to cause serious
disease in food animals and, via transmission through
contaminated food products to people, remains the number one
bacterial foodborne pathogen in humans. The Committee provides
no less than the fiscal year 2019 level to develop non-
antibiotic interventions to inhibit environmental movement of
Salmonella between food animal species and to reduce the
pathogen load in food animals themselves, using Salmonella-
targeted viruses called bacteriophages, as well as prebiotic
and probiotic supplements.
Forest Products.--The Committee recognizes the important
role of the forests products sector to the U.S. economy. The
need to create new and improved value-added products and
renewable energy from our Nation's wood supply is critical to
the sustainability of the national economy. The Committee
recommendation includes no less than the fiscal year 2019 level
to support research on wood product quality improvement and
improvement in forest products evaluation standards and
valuation techniques. ARS shall conduct this research in
consultation with the Forest Products Laboratory.
Fruit Fly and Exotic Pest Control.--The Committee
recommendation includes an additional $1,000,000 to implement
recommendations issued pursuant to Senate Report 115-131 to
provide additional support and capacity to prevent the spread
of fruit flies and other exotic pests to the U.S. mainland from
the tropical Pacific.
Genetic Oat Research.--The Committee recognizes the
potential genetic oat research has to improve disease
resistance (especially rusts and viruses), genetics, increase
yields, and develop crop rotation systems that include oats,
which will enhance the value of oats and provide benefits to
producers and consumers. The Committee includes an increase of
$2,500,000 to expand existing research focused on oat
improvement.
Genomes to Fields.--The Committee recommendation includes
no less than the fiscal year 2019 level to support the
Germplasm Enhancement of Maize [GEM] project to complement the
existing USDA maize germplasm programs and support the emerging
large-scale public sector effort to investigate the interaction
of maize genome variation and environments, known as the
Genomes to Fields project.
Healthy Soils Initiative.--The Committee provides
$1,000,000 to support the study of enhanced food nutritional
quality through Healthy Soil--Healthy Food--Healthy People
Initiatives.
Hemp Germplasm.--The Committee recognizes the increasing
demand for hemp for a variety of uses and its growing
importance as a crop for U.S. farmers. When the Nation's hemp
germplasm was destroyed in the 1980s, researchers lost access
to publicly available germplasm for plant breeding purposes.
The Committee directs ARS to establish and maintain a hemp
germplasm repository at the Plant Genetics Research Unit and
provides no less than the fiscal year 2019 level for this
purpose.
Hemp Production Systems.--The Committee recognizes the
emerging market potential for U.S. hemp and hemp-based products
for a variety of uses. The Committee directs ARS to conduct
regionally-driven research, development, and stakeholder
engagement to improve agronomic and agro-economic understanding
of effectively integrating hemp into existing agricultural
cropping, processing, and marketing systems. The Committee
provides $2,500,000 for this purpose. Research, engagement, and
technology transfer shall be conducted in strict accordance
with all applicable Federal and State authorities and
regulations.
High Performance Computing Support.--The Committee provides
an additional $3,000,000 to support high performance computing
capability to address scientific needs and directs ARS to
collaborate with appropriate partners with the technical
capacity and scientific synergy to provide cost-effective high
performance computing support.
Hops Research.--The Committee recommends no less than the
fiscal year 2019 level to support hops research.
Human Nutrition Research.--Maintenance of health throughout
the lifespan along with prevention of obesity and chronic
diseases via food-based recommendations are the major emphases
of human nutrition research. This research supports USDA's
strategic goals of nutrition monitoring; the scientific basis
for dietary recommendations; prevention of obesity and related
diseases; and life stage nutrition and metabolism, in order to
better define the role of nutrition in pregnancy and growth of
children and for healthier aging. The Committee includes an
increase of $1,000,000 to expand research regarding life stage
nutrition and metabolism; and the growth, health promotion,
disease prevention, diet, and immune function of the developing
child, especially the rural child. The Committee also provides
an increase of $1,000,000 to address gaps in current ARS
research at the critical intersection between agriculture and
human nutrition and health.
Impact of Harmful Algal Bloom [HAB] on Aquaculture.--The
Committee provides $1,200,000 for the support of cooperative
projects working on the toxicology of HABs including the algal
species involved, the factors mediating toxin production or
release, better detection methods, development of methods to
predict release of toxins, and new biological or chemical
approaches to manage harmful algal blooms in a cost-effective
manner.
Livestock Genetic Research.--The Committee is aware of the
promise that genetic engineering holds for addressing livestock
animal diseases, welfare, and production. However, the
inability to consistently produce genetically engineered
``founder animals'' in significant numbers represents the major
bottle-neck for many promising animal biotechnologies. While
the National Institutes of Health [NIH] have invested in such
facilities for human biomedical research activities that
produced needed mice, rats, and pigs, the USDA has not
supported similar scale efforts. As such, the Committee
provides $2,000,000 to partner with a major university where
genetic engineering expertise is already available and to
contract for such services for swine models and encourages the
USDA to leverage existing investments in this area made by the
NIH.
Macadamia Tree Health Initiative.--The Macadamia Tree
Health Initiative was authorized for the purpose of developing
and disseminating science-based tools and treatments to combat
the macadamia felted coccid. The Committee provides $1,000,000
for this purpose.
National Agricultural Library.--The Committee strongly
encourages ARS to maintain its focus on agriculture-related
legal issues within the National Agricultural Library. The
Committee notes that as the agriculture sector faces increasing
financial stress, there is a necessity that agriculture-related
legal issues be addressed on an increasingly frequent basis.
Further, agricultural-related legal issues are increasingly
complex and the impact of these legal issues continues to
broaden in scope. Therefore, the Committee recommendation
includes an additional $3,000,000 for the National Agricultural
Library to support the Agricultural Law Information
Partnership.
National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility.--The Committee
provides an additional $41,100,000 for the continued transfer
of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility [NBAF] from the
Department of Homeland Security [DHS] to USDA. The Committee
reminds ARS of the detailed report (due April 2019) regarding
NBAF requested in the fiscal year 2019 Senate report (S. Rept.
115-259).
Nutrition Research and Aging.--The Committee recognizes the
critical importance of human nutrition research and its
significance for preventative healthcare and degenerative and
age-related diseases. More research is needed to address the
needs of all Americans, with a particular focus on the elderly,
the fastest growing segment of the population. Therefore, ARS
is directed to prioritize human nutrition research across the
lifespan.
Pacific Shellfish Genetics and Breeding.--The Committee
recognizes the economic importance of shellfish aquaculture for
rural and coastal communities on the Pacific coast and the need
for resilient, healthy genetic stocks that can withstand the
region's changing ocean and coastal conditions as well as new
disease threats. The Committee provides an increase of
$2,000,000 for a shellfish genetics and breeding program to
develop genetically improved stock, promote enhanced disease
resiliency, modernize production technologies, and transfer
technology and improved stocks to shellfish farmers in Pacific
States.
Pear Genetics and Genomics.--The Committee recognizes that
research into pear genetics and genomics is needed to identify
genetic sources of pest resistance and to contribute to
improved, size-controlling rootstocks to enhance orchard
efficiency, and to otherwise improve cultivated pear research.
The Committee recommendation includes no less than the fiscal
year 2019 level to support research into pear genetics and
genomics.
Pollinator Recovery, Education and Research.--The Committee
is aware that bees play a crucial role in U.S. agriculture as
pollinators and that colony loss poses a serious threat to
future food production. The Committee provides $1,500,000 for
the creation of a Pollinator Recovery, Education, and Research
Center to be located within Central Appalachia that enjoys
diverse deciduous forests, a number of micro-climates, and
pristine environment with abundant nectar sources that would be
conductive to restoring and nurturing pollinators.
Postharvest Dairy Research--The Committee recognizes the
importance of developing solutions to address agricultural
postharvest inefficiencies to conserve limited resources and
feed a growing population. The Committee provides no less than
the fiscal year 2019 level for research to develop postharvest
technologies that decrease waste and improve resource use of
protein, fat, and sugar in dairy processing.
Potato Research.--The Committee provides $1,000,000 for the
development of new management strategies for potato storage
that will maintain potato quality, reduce grower and processor
losses, and increase profits.
Poultry Production Technology Development.--The Committee
recognizes the need for advancement in poultry processing as a
result of increased global competition. The Committee
recommendation includes $3,000,000 to support cooperative
research focused on advancing domestic poultry production and
processing through the development of a technology-driven,
multidisciplinary approach that will increase innovation and
discovery, particularly around animal welfare, food safety,
labor and environmental protection.
Poultry Research.--The Committee recognizes the important
role of the poultry sector to the U.S. economy. The Committee
provides no less than the fiscal year 2019 level to expand the
research capacity for poultry production and health.
Precision Agriculture.--The Committee is encouraged by the
efforts of ARS to develop precision agriculture research
grants. These grants increase the resilience of agricultural
food systems by conducting research on data-driven sustainable
farm management. The Committee encourages ARS to continue
working collaboratively with research institutions to spur
agricultural and technological innovation.
Precision Aquaculture.--The Committee recognizes that land-
based, closed-containment aquaculture provides the capacity to
raise freshwater or marine species in any locale with minimal
environmental impacts. Implementing precision agriculture
technologies in these systems will increase production
efficiencies and profitability, ultimately increasing capacity
for meeting the seafood demands of U.S. consumers through
responsible and sustainable domestic aquaculture production.
The Committee provides an additional $1,000,000 to implement
precision aquaculture in land-based, closed-containment
aquaculture systems.
Precision Viticulture for Premium Grapes.--The Committee
recognizes the rapid growth in demand for premium wine and the
industry's concurrent benefits in terms of helping numerous
rural communities generate new tourism and tax revenue.
Relevant stakeholders have identified precision viticulture and
decision support systems as the preferred path to improving
grape productivity and quality. The Committee provides
$1,000,000 for a collaborative research program focused on
precision viticulture for premium grapes and wine and to
support existing ARS viticulture and enology research programs.
Predictive Modeling Tools.--The Committee supports efforts
to develop sustainable agricultural production systems for
crops through the use of forecasting tools that incorporate
post-harvest soil testing and in-season monitoring of plant
pathogens to combat crop diseases. The Committee provides
$7,000,000 for ARS to work with Federal and land-grant
university partners in order to develop predictive modeling
tools that aid farm management decisions to improve
agricultural production of row crops.
Pulse Crop Quality.--The Committee recognizes the
importance of ARS wheat quality laboratories in researching and
advancing the quality and overall utilization of wheat and
pulse crops. The Committee provides $1,000,000 to further these
efforts for pulse crops by establishing quality analysis
standards, developing innovative production processes, and
evaluating crop varieties for product functionality and market
suitability.
Pulse Health Initiative.--The Committee supports the
expansion of pulse crop research and provides an additional
$1,000,000 to enhance scientific research into the health and
nutritional benefits of dry peas, lentils, chickpeas, and dry
beans.
Rangeland Research.--The Committee recognizes the
demonstrated potential for cooperative partnerships to address
complex sagebrush steppe ecosystem challenges in the Great
Basin region. The Committee recommendation includes no less
than the fiscal year 2019 level for ARS to support a regional,
multi-institutional cooperative partnership to advance
collaborative science-based conservation research, extension,
and education to address time-sensitive and shared rangeland
challenges affecting sustainable agricultural productivity,
rural communities, and ecosystem health.
Research Assistance.--The Committee encourages ARS to
provide direct, place-based assistance to 1862 Institutions in
States that do not have ARS facilities to address the research
priorities of such States, such as invasive plant species and
insects that cause significant impacts to agriculture,
aquaculture, and communities in such States and to assist in
the development of specialty and horticultural crops to
increase food security and expand marketing opportunities for
small farmers. The Committee directs ARS to submit a report on
the prospective options of such assistance.
Research Facilities.--The Committee understands the
importance of ARS laboratories and the need for continued
improvement. The Committee directs ARS to evaluate its capital
asset requirements for necessary coordination with ongoing and
emerging research opportunities. As part of this evaluation,
ARS should provide opportunity for public comment in order to
incorporate the priorities of all interested stakeholders,
including ARS and other scientists, and users of ARS data.
Resilient Dryland Farming.--The Committee recognizes the
need for advancements in dryland production practices,
cropping, and equipment to increase profitability, conserve the
soil, enhance soil water storage, promote soil health, and
decrease reliance on herbicides. The Committee provides no less
than the fiscal year 2019 level to expand research focused on
resilient dryland farming. Research should focus on improving
yield and quality parameters; developing cropping systems
capable of tolerating drought, heat, and diseases; and
quantifying economic and environmental benefits from dryland
crop production systems.
Roseau Cane.--The Committee remains concerned with the
invasive species scale insect pest that is destroying Roseau
cane in the Mississippi River's Delta region along the Gulf of
Mexico. An estimated 225,000 acres of wetlands in the Delta
have been affected with the die-off, and Roseau cane is
important in maintaining a healthy marsh and preventing
erosion. The Committee directs ARS to continue to work with the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [APHIS] and
stakeholders to develop an integrated management program for
control of the Roseau cane scale insect pest infestation.
Sclerotinia.--The Committee is aware of the economic
importance of controlling sclerotinia, which affects
sunflowers, soybeans, canola, edible beans, peas, and lentils
and encourages ARS to continue both core research and
cooperative projects of the National Sclerotinia Initiative.
Shrimp Production Research.--The Committee recognizes the
importance of increasing domestic shrimp production and
provides $1,000,000 for research and commercial development of
production technologies that will improve shrimp health and
streamline feed management regimes.
Small Farm Orchard Production Current Research Information
System [CRIS] Unit.--Development of low-cost technology and
innovative production strategies for small farm fruit growers
that enables profitable operations on a variety of lands,
including reclaimed mines, increases overall fruit quality,
reduces production costs, and increases economic and ecological
sustainability is critically needed. The Committee provides
$1,000,000 for the purpose of implementing a Small Farm Orchard
Production CRIS. The Small Farm Orchard Production CRIS Unit
would generate knowledge and technologies required to meet the
challenges of successful small farm orchard operations located
in rural and urban renewal locations.
Small Fruits.--The Committee recognizes the need to support
research to promote sustainable and organic production of berry
and grape crops with the goal of reducing pesticide use and
improving quality and yield. The Committee provides an
additional $2,500,000 to support research to improve the
ability to forecast pest and disease spread, implement
precision management strategies, and to improve the overall
quality of fruit.
Small Grains Genomic Initiative.--The Committee supports
research on barley and wheat high throughput genomics and
phenotyping and recognizes its importance in improving crop
traits and developing new cultivars. The Committee
recommendation includes an additional $1,000,000 to support the
Small Grains Genomic Initiative.
Smoke Exposure.--The Committee is concerned about the
impacts of wildfire smoke on winegrape producers and supports
research to help growers and processors establish science-based
threshold levels of smoke compounds that cause smoke-tainted
grapes, identify the compounds responsible for smoke taints,
develop mitigation methods to reduce or eliminate smoke taint,
and conduct research into compounds that can act as a barrier
between the grapes and the smoke compounds. The Committee
provides $5,000,000 for this research.
Soft White Wheat Falling Numbers Test.--The Committee
recognizes the emerging crisis surrounding wheat starch
degradation, as detected by the Hagberg-Perten Falling Numbers
[FN] Test. The quality loss was particularly devastating to
Pacific Northwest soft white wheat producers in late 2016. The
Committee recommendation includes no less than the fiscal year
2019 funding level to research the accuracy of the FN test and
better understand environmental, storage, and genetic
conditions leading to this quality loss.
Sorghum Genetic Database.--The Committee recognizes the
importance of phenotyping and genotyping that allows breeders
to understand which genes are responsible for improvements in
pest resistance, drought tolerance, and yield. The Committee
recommends no less than the fiscal year 2019 level to further
facilitate the partnership between ARS and the Department of
Energy on sorghum genome mapping, particularly the creation of
an easily-accessed database to house the information generated
from the ongoing genetic sequencing research which will
facilitate further crop development efforts, especially in
combating the sugarcane aphid, a new and devastating invasive
pest.
Sudden Oak Death.--The European strain 1 [EU1] and the
North American strain 1 [NA1] of the sudden oak death pathogen
are major threats to western Douglas-fir/tanoak forests,
resulting in quarantine restrictions that threaten U.S. forests
and export markets for log shipments and lily bulbs. The
Committee recommendation includes no less than the fiscal year
2019 level for research to improve understanding of the
European Strain 1 and North American Strain 1 of the sudden oak
death pathogen and treatment methods to inform control and
management techniques in wildlands.
Sugar Beet Research.--The Committee provides an additional
$1,000,000 for plant disease research to improve the quality of
sugar beet production.
Sugarcane Variety Development.--The Committee recognizes
the devastating impact wrought by invasive pests on the
domestic sugarcane industry and provides an additional
$1,000,000 to support the development of new pest and disease-
resistant varieties.
Sustainable Aquaculture.--The Committee notes that
aquaculture is the fastest growing food production industry in
the world. The Committee provides $3,000,000 for a pilot
Aquaculture Experiment Station in partnership with universities
to support rapid response research on sustainable aquaculture
for coldwater and warmwater production environments, with
special emphasis on workforce education.
Sustainable Water Use Research.--The alluvial plain within
the Lower Mississippi River Basin is one of most productive
agricultural regions in the United States. The Committee
remains concerned with the unsustainable use of water in the
Alluvial Aquifer as a result of increasing water withdrawals
and stagnant recharging. The Committee provides an additional
$1,000,000 for research to improve the recharge capabilities of
the Alluvial Aquifer and to develop new conservation and
irrigation techniques to reduce water usage in agriculture
production.
Tree Fruit Post-Harvest Research.--The Committee recognizes
that tree fruit production, including pear and cherry, is a
predominant supplier for domestic and international markets.
The Committee further recognizes that the tree fruit industry
faces significant economic vulnerability from variations in
post-harvest quality control. The Committee provides an
increase of $1,300,000 for pear and cherry tree fruit research
to optimize yield and post-harvest quality, extend storage
life, and promote enhanced resiliency from endemic and emerging
diseases.
Tropical and Subtropical Research.--Research on Tropical
and Subtropical crops is critical as the presence of and
destruction by invasive pests such as fruit flies, coffee berry
borer, felted macadamia nut coccid, and plant viruses and
fungal diseases increasingly threaten crop security in the
Pacific and Insular Areas, and the Committee encourages ARS to
support this research.
UAS Precision Agriculture Applications.--The Committee
provides no less than the fiscal year 2019 level to support
efforts utilizing unmanned aerial systems [UAS] in crop
production operations and to address the challenges associated
with data capture, transfer and analysis.
U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative [USWBSI].--The
Committee recognizes that fusarium head blight is a major
threat to agriculture, inflicting substantial yield and quality
losses throughout the U.S. The Committee supports research
carried out through the USWBSI. The Committee recommendation
includes an additional $5,500,000 to conduct further research
on reducing the impact of fusarium head blight on wheat and
barley.
Warmwater Aquaculture.--The Committee provides no less than
the fiscal year 2019 level to facilitate the advancement of
technologies that improve the efficiency, profitability, and
sustainability of warmwater aquaculture production.
Wheat and Sorghum Research.--The Committee recognizes the
potential impact heat and drought can have on the yield and
quality of wheat and sorghum and the need for new cultivars to
adapt to changing climatic conditions. In addition, sorghum
crops have been particularly hit hard by the invasive sugarcane
aphid and new resistant cultivars are needed. The Committee
provides an additional $650,000 for research to improve the
productivity and quality of wheat and sorghum during uncertain
growing seasons resulting from extended droughts and increased
temperatures. Within this increase, funding is included to
initiate gene flow research to advance the durability and
sustainability of fitness traits in sorghum.
BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $381,200,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 50,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 304,800,000
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $304,800,000
for Agricultural Research Service, Buildings and Facilities.
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Section 7511(f)(2) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy
Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-234) amends the Department of
Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6971) by
establishing an agency to be known as the National Institute of
Food and Agriculture [NIFA]. The Secretary transferred to the
Director of NIFA, effective October 1, 2009, all authorities
administered by the Administrator of the Cooperative State,
Research, Education and Extension Service. The mission is to
work with university partners and customers to advance
research, extension, and higher education in the food and
agricultural sciences and related environmental and human
sciences to benefit people, communities, and the Nation.
RESEARCH AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $927,649,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 974,715,000
Committee recommendation................................ 937,649,000
Research and Education programs administered by NIFA are
USDA's principal entree to the university system of the United
States for the purpose of conducting agricultural research and
education programs as authorized by the Hatch Act of 1887, as
amended (7 U.S.C. 361a-361i); the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative
Forestry Act of 1962, as amended (Public Law 87-788); the
Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act, as
amended (Public Law 89-106); the National Agricultural,
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, as
amended (Public Law 95-113); the Equity in Educational Land-
Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note); the Agricultural
Research, Extension and Education Reform Act of 1998 (Public
Law 105-185), as amended; the Food, Agriculture, Conservation
and Trade Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-624); the Farm Security
and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-171); and the
Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-246).
Through these authorities, USDA participates with State and
other cooperators to encourage and assist the State
institutions in conducting agricultural research and education
through the State Agricultural Experiment Stations of the 50
States and the territories; by approved Schools of Forestry;
the 1890 Land-Grant Institutions and Tuskegee University and
West Virginia State University; 1994 Land-Grant Institutions;
by Colleges of Veterinary Medicine; and other eligible
institutions. The appropriated funds provide Federal support
for research and education programs at these institutions.
The research and education programs participate in a
nationwide system of agricultural research program planning and
coordination among the State institutions, USDA, and the
agricultural industry of America.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $937,649,000
for research and education activities of the National Institute
of Food and Agriculture.
The following table summarizes the Committee's
recommendations for research and education activities:
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE--RESEARCH AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES
[Dollars in thousands]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee
Program/Activity Authorization recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hatch Act..................................... 7 U.S.C. 361a-i................................ 259,000
McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act..... 16 U.S.C. 582a through a-7..................... 36,000
Research at 1890 Institutions (Evans-Allen 7 U.S.C. 3222.................................. 58,000
Program).
Payments to the 1994 Institutions............. 534(a)(1) of Public Law 103-382................ 3,439
Education Grants for 1890 Institutions........ 7 U.S.C. 3152(b)............................... 19,336
Education Grants for Hispanic-Serving 7 U.S.C. 3241.................................. 9,219
Institutions.
Education Grants for Alaska Native and Native 7 U.S.C. 3156.................................. 3,194
Hawaiian-Serving Institutions.
Research Grants for 1994 Institutions......... 536 of Public Law 103-382...................... 3,801
Capacity Building for Non Land-Grant Colleges 7 U.S.C. 3319i................................. 5,000
of Agriculture.
Resident Instruction and Distance Education 7 U.S.C. 3362 and 3363......................... 2,000
Grants for Insular Areas.
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative...... 7 U.S.C. 450i(b)............................... 425,000
Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment............ 7 U.S.C. 3151a................................. 8,000
Veterinary Services Grant Program............. 7 U.S.C. 3151b................................. 3,000
Continuing Animal Health and Disease Research 7 U.S.C. 3195.................................. 4,000
Program.
Supplemental and Alternative Crops............ 7 U.S.C. 3319d................................. 1,000
Multicultural Scholars, Graduate Fellowship 7 U.S.C. 3152(b)............................... 9,000
and Institutions Challenge Grants.
Secondary and 2-year Post-Secondary Education. 7 U.S.C. 3152(j)............................... 900
Aquaculture Centers........................... 7 U.S.C. 3322.................................. 5,000
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education 7 U.S.C. 5811, 5812, 5831, and 5832............ 37,000
Farm Business Management...................... 7 U.S.C. 5925f................................. 2,000
Sun Grant Program............................. 7 U.S.C. 8114.................................. 3,000
Minor Crop Pest Management (IR-4)............. 7 U.S.C. 450i(c)............................... 11,913
Alfalfa Forage and Research Program........... 7 U.S.C. 5925.................................. 3,000
Special Research Grants:
Global Change/UV Monitoring............... 7 U.S.C. 450i(c)............................... 1,405
Potato Research........................... 7 U.S.C. 450i(c)............................... 2,750
Aquaculture Research...................... 7 U.S.C. 450i(c)............................... 2,000
----------------
Total, Special Research Grants........ ............................................... 6,155
================
Necessary Expenses of Research and Education
Activities:
Grants Management System.................. ............................................... 7,830
Federal Administration--Other Necessary ............................................... 11,862
Expenses for Research and Education
Activities.
----------------
Total, Necessary Expenses............. ............................................... 19,692
================
Total, Research and Education ............................................... 937,649
Activities.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agricultural Research Enhancement Awards.--The Committee
remains determined to see that quality research and enhanced
human resources development in the agricultural and related
sciences be a nationwide commitment. Therefore, the Committee
continues its direction that not less than 15 percent of the
competitive research grant funds be used for USDA's
agricultural research enhancement awards program, including
USDA Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research
[EPSCOR].
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.--The Committee
recommendation includes $425,000,000 for the Agriculture and
Food Research Initiative [AFRI].
Section 7406 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of
2008 (Public Law 110-234) specifies priority areas within AFRI,
including an emphasis on conventional (classical) plant and
animal breeding. The Committee strongly supports providing
farmers nationwide with greater access to cultivars that are
locally and regionally adapted to their soils, climates, and
farming systems. The Committee is concerned that insufficient
progress is being made in prioritizing this effort. As such,
the Committee directs the agency to make regionally adapted,
publicly held cultivar development a distinct funding priority
within AFRI for fiscal year 2020 and directs the agency to take
steps to improve its tracking of public cultivar projects
within AFRI and report its progress in meeting this goal.
Agriculture Technology.--The Committee encourages USDA to
support research and development of agricultural robotics,
particularly to increase yields in vertically stacked farming
production.
Alfalfa and Forage Research.--The Committee notes that
research into alfalfa and forage holds the potential to
increase alfalfa and forage yields, increase milk production,
and improve genetics. The Committee recommendation includes
funding to support research into the improvement of yields,
water conservation, creation of new uses, and other research
areas holding the potential to advance the alfalfa seed and
alfalfa forage industry.
Algae Applications in Agriculture Research.--The Committee
encourages NIFA to support research on algae and algae
application in agriculture.
Aquaculture Disease Research.--The Committee encourages
USDA to support aquaculture disease and vaccine research,
including research on coldwater aquaculture vaccines. There is
currently no national facility for pathogen testing. Research
into finfish vaccines and pathogens has the potential to
accelerate the growth of sustainable U.S. aquaculture, reduce
the trade deficit attributable to imported seafood, and reduce
the pressure on overfished species.
Aquaculture Research.--The Committee recognizes the
importance of the domestic aquaculture industry to the U.S.
economy. The Committee recommendation includes $2,000,000 for
aquaculture research to address issues related to genetics,
disease, systems, and economics.
Binational Agricultural Research and Development.--The
Committee is supportive of the activities carried out under the
Binational Agricultural Research and Development [BARD] Fund
and recognizes that this collaboration is of mutual benefit to
the United States and Israel. BARD research projects have
contributed significantly to both the U.S. and Israeli
economies. The Committee is aware that NIFA signed a new
Memorandum of Understanding with BARD in December 2018, which
establishes the framework under which the participants will
cooperate to promote collaboration among U.S. and Israeli
scientists and engineers. The Committee encourages NIFA to
leverage all possible funding streams to support BARD
activities.
Brucellosis Research.--Federal and State animal health
officials have made eradicating livestock disease with
significant reservoirs a national animal health priority. This
need was reflected in the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law
113-79), which made the research and development of
surveillance methods, vaccines, vaccination delivery systems,
or diagnostics tests a priority research area under the
Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (Public
Law 89-106) particularly for bovine brucellosis and bovine
tuberculosis. The Committee recognizes the need for this
research and encourages the agency to make competitive grants
available to study improved management tools for zoonotic
livestock diseases with significant wildlife reservoirs.
Cereal Crop Research.--Research on cereal crops has
historically been conducted by USDA and public universities,
and the Committee recognizes the importance of continuing
investment in cereal crop research. The Committee strongly
encourages USDA to provide funding for cereal crop research in
the areas of genetic and genomic research, plant pest research,
and improved production systems.
Childhood Obesity.--The Committee encourages USDA to
support innovative efforts to address the unique challenges
faced in addressing obesity among children and youth in urban,
minority low-income populations and remote areas among native
and underserved populations through a combination of family
education, community health promotion, and clinical studies.
Citrus Disease Research Program.--The Emergency Citrus
Disease Research and Extension Program is intended to discover
and develop tools for early detection, control, and eradication
of diseases and pests that threaten domestic citrus production
and processing and is provided $25,000,000 per year in
mandatory funding through the Emergency Citrus Disease Research
and Extension Trust Fund as authorized in the Agriculture
Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334). The Committee
believes research projects funded under this authority should
be prioritized based on the critical threat of citrus greening
and encourages NIFA, to the maximum extent practicable, to
follow the recommendations of the National Agricultural
Research, Extension, and Education Advisory Board's citrus
disease subcommittee and to collaborate with the HLB-MAC group.
Community College Centers of Excellence in Agribusiness
Workforce Training.--The Committee encourages NIFA to designate
Community College Centers of Excellence in Agribusiness
Workforce Training, to include a limited number of two-year
community and technical colleges with a demonstrated capability
to provide training and education for Agribusiness. The Centers
of Excellence will seek to develop model programs in
Agribusiness and promote economic development.
Community Food Projects.--The Committee is concerned that
large grocer recruitment remains a problem for many
communities, particularly those experiencing higher rates of
abandoned or vacant homes, and encourages the Department to
explore innovative approaches to address access to nutritional
food options in urban food deserts. The Committee encourages
NIFA to explore the development of community-wide urban
agriculture projects that assist in eliminating vacant
properties while providing the communities with much-needed
fresh produce.
Countering Seafood Fraud.--The Committee remains concerned
about countering economic fraud and improving food safety of
the U.S. food supply. The Committee is concerned that adequate
technology is not yet available to provide for appropriate
sampling of the food supply. The Committee believes NIFA should
conduct research to develop technologies that will provide
rapid, portable, and facile screening of fish species at port
sites, wholesale, and retail centers.
Diversification in Agriculture.--The Committee recognizes
the rapid evolution of U.S. agriculture, including the
diversification of practices, markets, and technologies as
farms transition to one generation from another, and encourages
NIFA to prioritize investments that deliver hands-on technical
education in diversified agriculture and food systems and
support technical colleges seeking to establish beginning
farmer programs serving diversified agriculture, and aid in
supporting farm viability.
Dual Use/Dual Benefit.--The Dual Purpose with Dual Benefit:
Research in Biomedicine and Agriculture Using Agriculturally
Important Domestic Species is an interagency partnership grants
program funded by the National Institute of Child Health and
Human Development [NICHD] and USDA. The Committee strongly
urges continuation of this partnership because it sponsors use
of farm animals as dual purpose models to better understand
developmental origins of disease, fat regulation and obesity,
stem cell biology, assisted reproductive technologies, and
infectious disease, which directly benefits both agriculture
and biomedicine. This program also strengthens ties between
human medicine, veterinary medicine, and animal sciences, which
is key to success of the One Health Initiative.
Food Safety.--The Committee recommends that NIFA prioritize
research on funding for new food safety technologies relating
to the Nation's meat supply that helps researchers, producers,
and manufacturers.
Food Safety and Defense Technology.--The Committee is
concerned that insufficient progress is being made in the
development of detection technology in the food safety sector.
The ability to rapidly, accurately, and cost effectively detect
pathogens or contaminants throughout the food supply chain is
critical to protecting the United States from food-borne
illnesses and malicious acts. As such, the Committee encourages
NIFA to increase research of novel biodetection technologies
and the implementation of mobile biodetection platforms in
real-world conditions. The Department should consider
technologies currently in use or under development in other
fields, such as medicine or homeland security, to determine
whether the technology can meet the needs in either high volume
food production or mobile food defense monitoring.
Foodborne Illness Prevention.--The Committee understands
the significant threats to public health and to the economic
viability of communities impacted by foodborne illness and
believes that coordinated and targeted resources are needed to
understand the risks and to develop effective strategies for
control. The Committee continues to encourage NIFA, in
coordination with the FDA, to establish a Center of Excellence
for Foodborne Illness to coordinate a research program to
reduce the risk of Listeria monocytogenes.
Function and Efficacy of Nutrients to Treat Obesity.--The
Committee supports research partnerships with academic entities
to research how bioactive substances help reduce obesity. Given
the persistent obesity problem in the country and the
associated and growing costs to Federal healthcare programs,
the Committee strongly supports increased investment in this
area, as it holds great promise to develop new methods to
tackle obesity in our communities.
Genomes to Phenomes.--The Committee is supportive of the
multi-university crop research initiative known as Genomes to
Phenomes and encourages NIFA to support the development of
tools and datasets that can be used across multiple crop
species to improve the output and efficiency of agriculture.
Lowbush Blueberries.--The Committee directs NIFA to work
with research institutions to develop and refine predictive
models and monitoring technologies for native and invasive
pests for incorporation into integrated pest management
programs for naturally seeded, native berry crops to increase
the margin of food safety and product quality.
Multi-Trophic Aquaculture Research.--Nearly half the
seafood consumed across the world is the result of aquaculture,
and the aquaculture industry is a critical and growing part of
the U.S. economy. However, less than one percent of worldwide
production comes from U.S. producers. The Committee is
concerned that inefficient production technologies hinder the
ability of the domestic aquaculture industry to compete on a
global scale. The Committee supports development and
demonstration of an integrated aquaculture system that would
contain at one site a highly competitive and sustainable system
having a low environmental footprint and be primarily self-
contained. The Committee supports the development of a ``Beta''
model that would focus on developing, building, operating,
demonstrating, and teaching around this intensified,
integrated, bio-secure production technology for feed, fish-
plant, and energy products.
Oak Mites.--The Committee directs NIFA to study the recent
infestation of oak mites and focus on suppression and
eradication possibilities.
Organic Research.--USDA's National Organic Standards Board
[NOSB] has identified key organic research priorities, many of
which would help to address challenges that have limited the
growth in organic production in this country. The Committee
encourages NIFA to give strong consideration to the NOSB
organic research priorities when crafting the fiscal year 2020
Request for Applications [RFA] for AFRI and the Organic
Transition Program. Given the growing demand for organic
products, the Committee also encourages USDA to increase the
number of organic research projects funded under AFRI and
Specialty Crop Research Initiative [SCRI].
Protein Functionality.--The Committee encourages USDA to
support research projects that characterize protein from crop
plants such as chickpeas, sorghum, lentils, fava beans, lupin,
rice, oats, mushrooms, and water lentils to assess their
suitability for use in food products. The Committee is
particularly interested in research projects involving plants
that can be easily cultivated in the U.S. and that are
sustainably grown and produced, such as water usage or
fertilizer and pesticide requirements.
Public Plant and Animal Breeding.--The Committee is
concerned about the decline in public plant and animal breeding
programs at our Nation's land-grant institutions over the last
25 years and encourages LGUs to take steps to foster the next
generation of public plant and animal breeders by placing a
higher priority on the development of publicly available,
regionally adapted cultivars and breeds. For all regions of our
Nation to optimize their productive capacity in an
environmentally sustainable manner, it is critical that the
farmers of the region have access to the most up-to-date
cultivars and breeds to meet ever-changing conditions.
Regional Research Priorities.--The Committee encourages
NIFA to consider providing funding within AFRI to assist with
State and regional research priorities, with USDA oversight and
review.
Risk Management Education.--The Committee supports the
recent expansion of the Risk Management Education Program to
include educating farmers and providing technical assistance on
a wide range of farm viability and risk management activities.
The Committee notes the increase in mandatory funding provided
by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334)
for this program, and, in light of that increase, encourages
NIFA to raise the maximum grant size in order to accommodate a
wider range of project types and scopes. The Committee also
urges NIFA to develop a process to support regional, multi-
regional, and national projects, which would require a separate
larger maximum grant size.
Seafood.--The Committee encourages USDA, in partnership
with universities with established domestic shrimp farming
programs, to support the development of a domestic industry
that will help ensure the safety and quality of the Nation's
seafood supply, promote environmentally sustainable
aquaculture, create new opportunities for U.S. agriculture, and
forge new markets for U.S. grain and oilseed products and
technology services.
Small Fruits Research.--The Committee encourages USDA to
support research to promote sustainable production of berry and
grape crops with the goal of reducing pesticide use and
improving quality and yield. Additionally, the Committee
encourages USDA to support research to improve the ability to
forecast pest and disease spread and implement precision
management strategies.
Specialty Crop Research Initiative.--The Committee
emphasizes the important role of the Specialty Crop Research
Initiative in addressing the critical needs of the specialty
crop industry through research and extension activities. The
Committee encourages NIFA to prioritize proposals for and
enhance its overall commitment to identifying and addressing
threats to pollinators from pests and diseases and the ability
of farmers to extend their growing season through the use of
winter growing techniques, including but not limited to high
tunnel vegetable production.
Supplemental and Alternative Crops.--The Committee
recognizes the importance of nationally coordinated, regionally
managed canola research and extension programs. The Committee
encourages the Secretary to continue to seek input from
stakeholders and to give priority consideration to proposals in
the peer review process that address research needs in
production areas with the greatest potential to expand, as well
as those where canola production is established and needs to be
maintained.
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education [SARE].--The
Committee is strongly supportive of the SARE program and
directs USDA to ensure that research, education and extension
activities carried out within SARE remain intact.
The Committee believes that it is important for NIFA to
evaluate the performance of each of its regional SARE Host
Institutions on a regular basis; however, the Committee is
concerned that the recent change in practice for NIFA to
broadly solicit competitive Host Institution proposals at least
every five years may interfere with the ability of the regional
Host to retain qualified staff, and to establish a stable
operating base, hindering rather than enhancing SARE program
delivery. Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall report to the Committees on
Appropriations on whether frequent open competitions for SARE
Host Institutions optimizes the delivery of the SARE program,
as compared to previous performance reviews and competitive
solicitations that were performed every ten years.
Unmanned Aerial Systems in Agriculture.--The Committee
encourages USDA to support regional institutes focused on the
development of UAS and fostering new innovations in agriculture
and cybersecurity. UAS is a tool to obtain data in a wide
variety of application areas including energy, agriculture,
power infrastructure, and transportation, all critical to rural
States. The Committee encourages NIFA to support the research,
development, and expansion of the use of UAS and high
performance computing.
Veterinary Corps.--Veterinarians fulfilling the terms of a
contract under USDA's Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment
Program, authorized by the National Veterinary Medical Services
Act, shall be members of the National Veterinary Medical
Services Corps and members who have fulfilled the terms of
their contract shall be alumni of the Corps.
NATIVE AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS ENDOWMENT FUND
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $11,880,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 11,857,000
Committee recommendation................................ 11,880,000
The Native American Institutions Endowment Fund authorized
by Public Law 103-382, the Equity in Educational Land-Grant
Status Act, provides an endowment for the 1994 land-grant
institutions (34 tribally controlled colleges). This program
will enhance educational opportunity for Native Americans by
building educational capacity at these institutions in the
areas of student recruitment and retention, curricula
development, faculty preparation, instruction delivery systems,
and scientific instrumentation for teaching. Income funds are
also available for facility renovation, repair, construction,
and maintenance. On the termination of each fiscal year, the
Secretary shall withdraw the income from the endowment fund for
the fiscal year, and after making adjustments for the cost of
administering the endowment fund, distribute the adjusted
income as follows: 60 percent of the adjusted income from these
funds shall be distributed among the 1994 land-grant
institutions on a pro rata basis, the proportionate share being
based on the Indian student count; and 40 percent of the
adjusted income shall be distributed in equal shares to the
1994 land-grant institutions.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $11,880,000
for the Native American Institutions Endowment Fund.
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $505,692,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 415,274,000
Committee recommendation................................ 509,082,000
Cooperative extension work was established by the Smith-
Lever Act of May 8, 1914, as amended (Public Law 63-95). USDA
is authorized to provide, through the land-grant colleges,
cooperative extension work that consists of the development of
practical applications of research knowledge and the giving of
instruction and practical demonstrations of existing or
improved practices or technologies in agriculture and related
subjects, and to encourage the application of such information
by demonstrations, publications, through 4-H clubs, and other
means to persons not in attendance or resident at the colleges.
To fulfill the requirements of the Smith-Lever Act, State
and county extension offices in each State, the District of
Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American
Samoa, the Northern Marianas, and Micronesia conduct
educational programs to improve American agriculture and
strengthen the Nation's families and communities.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $509,082,000
for extension activities of the National Institute of Food and
Agriculture.
The following table summarizes the Committee's
recommendations for extension activities:
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE--EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
[Dollars in thousands]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee
Program/Activity Authorization recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Smith-Lever Act, Section 3(b) and (c) and 7 U.S.C. 343(b) and (c) and 208(c) of Public 315,000
Cooperative Extension. Law 93-471.
Extension Services at 1890 Institutions....... 7 U.S.C. 3221.................................. 48,620
Extension Services at 1994 Institutions....... 7 U.S.C. 343(b)(3)............................. 6,446
Facility Improvements at 1890 Institutions.... 7 U.S.C. 3222b................................. 19,730
Renewable Resources Extension Act............. 16 U.S.C. 1671 et seq.......................... 4,060
Rural Health and Safety Education Programs.... 7 U.S.C. 2662(i)............................... 4,000
Food and Animal Residue Avoidance Database 7 U.S.C. 7642.................................. 2,500
Program.
Women and Minorities in STEM Fields........... 7 U.S.C. 5925.................................. 400
Food Safety Outreach Program.................. 7 U.S.C. 7625.................................. 8,000
Food and Agriculture Service Learning......... 7 U.S.C. 7633.................................. 1,000
Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network...... 7 U.S.C. 5936.................................. 3,000
Smith-LeverAct, Section 3(d):
Food and Nutrition Education.............. 7 U.S.C. 343(d)................................ 70,000
Farm Safety and Youth Farm Safety 7 U.S.C. 343(d)................................ 5,000
Education Programs.
New Technologies for Agricultural 7 U.S.C. 343(d)................................ 1,550
Extension.
Children, Youth, and Families at Risk..... 7 U.S.C. 343(d)................................ 8,395
Federally Recognized Tribes Extension 7 U.S.C. 343(d)................................ 3,039
Program.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Section 3(d)..................... ............................................... 87,984
Necessary Expenses of Research and Education
Activities:
Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom......... ............................................... 552
Federal Administration--Other Necessary ............................................... 7,790
Expenses for Research and Education
Activities.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Necessary Expenses............. ............................................... 8,342
Total, Extension Activities........... ............................................... 509,082
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extension Design Initiative.--The Committee recognizes that
for decades, the foundation of traditional farm extension
programs had researchers and educators working on the farms and
fields alongside crop and livestock producers but that changes
are needed to develop a 21st century extension to meet the
needs of today's farmers. The Committee notes that new efforts
require USDA to use high-performance computing to develop,
test, and deploy new digital infrastructure and platforms that
can translate research into real-time interactive feedback,
online modeling, demonstration, and simulations. The Committee
directs NIFA to conduct meetings with producers, stakeholders,
and policymakers to begin developing a framework for the next
generation of farm extension programs.
Farmer Stress.--The Committee remains concerned that
farmers and individuals who work in agriculture face highly
stressful working conditions, which can contribute to serious
behavioral health concerns, especially during downturns in the
farm economy. The Committee notes that Section 7412 of the
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334)
reauthorized the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network to
provide competitive grants to Indian tribes, State Departments
of Agriculture, State cooperative extension services, and
nonprofit organizations to carry out programs to address farmer
stress and suicide.
Food and Nutrition Education.--The Committee recognizes the
importance of the Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program
[EFNEP] and directs the Secretary to establish a pilot program
to provide for an evaluation of improved food resource
management and diet quality in populations not now served,
including the elderly, households living below 185 percent of
the poverty level, and low-income households with children of
any age. The Secretary shall consider land grant universities
with expertise in food system research.
Minority Outreach.--The Committee is concerned that
extension service resources do not reach minority, socially
disadvantaged, and tribal communities in proportion to their
participation in the agricultural sector. All institutions that
receive extension activity funding should seek to ensure that
an equitable percentage of their overall extension work reaches
minority, socially disadvantaged, and tribal communities. The
Committee directs NIFA to evaluate distribution of extension
resources to these three populations and report to the
Committee no later than 90 days after enactment of this act.
Rural Opioid Addiction Training.--The Committee provides
$4,000,000 for Rural Health and Safety Education Programs to
combat opioid abuse in rural communities. The Committee is
especially interested in utilizing innovative and collaborative
methods to educate nurses and allied health professionals in
opioid abuse and prevention. The Committee recommendation
includes not less than $1,000,000 for competitive external
grants for eligible institutions to support the utilization of
telehealth, telemedicine, distance learning, and virtual and
augmented reality experiences for opioid education and training
in minority rural communities.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITIES
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $38,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 1,697,000
Committee recommendation................................ 38,000,000
Section 406, as amended, of the Agricultural Research,
Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-85)
authorizes an integrated research, education, and extension
competitive grants program.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $38,000,000
for integrated activities of the National Institute of Food and
Agriculture.
The following table summarizes the Committee's
recommendations for integrated activities:
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE--INTEGRATED ACTIVITIES
[Dollars in thousands]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee
Program/Activity Authorization recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Methyl Bromide Transition Program............. 7 U.S.C. 7626.................................. 2,000
Organic Transition Program.................... 7 U.S.C. 7626.................................. 6,000
Regional Rural Development Centers............ 7 U.S.C. 450i(c)............................... 2,000
Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative....... 7 U.S.C. 3351.................................. 8,000
Crop Protection/Pest Management............... 7 U.S.C. 343(d)................................ 20,000
----------------
Total, Integrated Activities............ ............................................... 38,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative.--The Committee
supports the important work being done through the publicly
funded diagnostic laboratory network and encourages NIFA to
prioritize funding to strengthen animal health diagnostic
laboratories, taking into consideration the following: the
degree to which the capacity for surveillance, monitoring,
response, and capacity is enhanced; the concentration of human
and animal populations that are directly at risk; trade,
tourism, and cultural considerations; geography, ecology, and
climate; evidence of active collaboration with, and support of,
the State animal health officials; those States with highest
risk for the introduction of foreign and emerging pests and
diseases; and evidence of stakeholder support and engagement.
Potato Research.--To minimize the application of pesticides
and to maximize the yield and quality of harvested potatoes,
the Committee directs the Secretary to support pest management
programs in potato growing States. Such programs help
scientists track potential pest outbreaks and provide growers
and industry professionals with current information on specific
and timely treatments. Additionally, the programs help identify
serious diseases, such as late blight disease, in their early
stages, allowing for preventive measures to be put into place
quickly to avoid crop losses.
Office of the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $901,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 800,000
Committee recommendation................................ 901,000
The Office of the Under Secretary for Marketing and
Regulatory Programs provides direction and coordination in
carrying out laws with respect to the Department's marketing,
grading, and standardization activities related to grain;
competitive marketing practices of livestock, marketing orders,
and various programs; veterinary services; and plant protection
and quarantine. The Office has oversight and management
responsibilities for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service; Agricultural Marketing Service; and Grain Inspection,
Packers and Stockyards Administration.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $901,000 for
the Office of the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory
Programs.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $1,011,136,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 981,893,000
Committee recommendation................................ 1,027,916,000
The Secretary of Agriculture established the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service [APHIS] on April 2, 1972, under
the authority of reorganization plan No. 2 of 1953, and other
authorities. The major objectives of APHIS are to protect the
animal and plant resources of the Nation from diseases and
pests. These objectives are carried out under the major areas
of activity, as follows:
Safeguarding and Emergency Preparedness/Response.--The
agency monitors plant and animal health worldwide, and sets
import polices to prevent the introduction of foreign plant and
animal pests and diseases. Domestically, the agency works
cooperatively to conduct plant and animal health monitoring
programs, pursue eradication, or limit the spread of the
threat. The agency also conducts diagnostic laboratory
activities that support disease prevention, detection, control,
and eradication programs. In addition, the agency protects
agriculture from detrimental animal predators, and through its
regulatory structure helps advance genetic research while
protecting against the release of harmful organisms.
Safe Trade and International Technical Assistance.--The
agency helps resolve technical trade issues to ensure the
smooth and safe movement of agricultural commodities into and
out of the United States. The agency negotiates animal and
plant health certification requirements and assists U.S.
exporters meet foreign regulatory demands. In addition, the
agency assists developing countries in improving their
safeguarding systems, to protect the United States from
emerging plant and animal pests and diseases.
Animal Care.--The agency conducts regulatory activities
that ensure the humane care and treatment of animals and horses
as the Animal Welfare Act (Public Law 89-544) and Horse
Protection Acts (Public Law 91-540) require. These activities
include inspection of certain establishments that handle
animals intended for research, exhibition, and as pets, and
monitoring certain horse shows.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,027,916,000
for salaries and expenses of the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
The following table reflects the Committee's specific
recommendations for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service:
ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year
Fiscal year 2020 budget Committee
2019 enacted request recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Safeguarding and International Technical Assistance:
Animal Health Technical Services......................... 37,857 44,857 37,857
Aquatic Animal Health.................................... 2,253 2,253 2,253
Avian Health............................................. 62,840 62,840 62,840
Cattle Health............................................ 96,500 96,500 96,500
Equine, Cervid and Small Ruminant Health................. 20,800 16,500 26,000
National Veterinary Stockpile............................ 5,725 5,725 5,725
Swine Health............................................. 24,800 19,753 24,800
Veterinary Biologics..................................... 16,417 16,417 17,417
Veterinary Diagnostics................................... 50,140 49,230 57,340
Zoonotic Disease Management.............................. 16,523 15,744 16,523
--------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Animal Health................................ 333,855 329,819 347,255
==================================================
Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (Appropriated)........ 32,330 31,330 32,330
Cotton Pests............................................. 11,520 7,000 11,520
Field Crop & Rangeland Ecosystems Pests.................. 11,826 7,809 13,826
Pest Detection........................................... 27,446 27,446 27,446
Plant Protection Methods Development..................... 20,686 20,686 20,686
Specialty Crop Pests..................................... 186,013 176,843 186,013
Tree & Wood Pests........................................ 60,000 56,000 60,000
--------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Plant Health................................. 349,821 327,114 351,821
==================================================
Wildlife Damage Management............................... 108,376 108,376 109,756
Wildlife Services Methods Development.................... 18,856 18,856 18,856
--------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Wildlife Services............................ 127,232 127,232 128,612
==================================================
Animal & Plant Health Regulatory Enforcement............. 16,224 16,224 16,224
Biotechnology Regulatory Services........................ 18,875 18,875 18,875
--------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Regulatory Services.......................... 35,099 35,099 35,099
==================================================
Contingency Fund......................................... 470 470 470
Emergency Preparedness & Response........................ 40,966 40,966 40,966
--------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Emergency Management......................... 41,436 41,436 41,436
==================================================
Subtotal, Safeguarding and Emergency Preparedness/ 887,443 860,700 904,223
Response..............................................
==================================================
Safe Trade and International Technical Assistance:
Agriculture Import/Export................................ 15,599 15,599 15,599
Overseas Technical & Trade Operations.................... 24,115 22,115 24,115
--------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Safe Trade................................... 39,714 37,714 39,714
==================================================
Animal Welfare:
Animal Welfare........................................... 31,310 30,810 31,310
Horse Protection......................................... 705 705 705
--------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Animal Welfare............................... 32,015 31,515 32,015
==================================================
Agency Management:
APHIS Information Technology Infrastructure.............. 4,251 4,251 4,251
Physical/Operational Security............................ 5,146 5,146 5,146
Rent and DHS security payments........................... 42,567 42,567 42,567
--------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Agency Management............................ 51,964 51,964 51,964
==================================================
Total, Direct Appropriation............................ 1,011,136 981,893 1,027,916
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agricultural Quarantine Inspection.--The Committee
recognizes that prevention of infestations of pests and
diseases is much more cost effective than subsequent control or
eradication. This is an important Federal responsibility and
the Committee provides $32,330,000 for the agricultural
quarantine inspections [AQI] function, including pre-departure
and interline inspections.
On July 17, 2017, USDA announced a request for comments and
information on regulations that are in need of reform. The
Committee has previously expressed its concern that the
restructured commercial aircraft fees for the APHIS Agriculture
Quarantine Inspection [AQI] program may not be equitable to
small aircraft. The Committee directs the Secretary to
specifically consider any comments submitted on the impact of
the AQI fee structure on small aircraft as part of its
regulatory review process and to provide the Committee with
detailed rationale for its decision if regulatory relief is not
granted in this area.
The Committee notes that assessing AQI treatment monitoring
fees on a per-enclosure basis imposes disproportionate impacts
on industry and user groups at certain key ports of entry,
including ports along the southeast United States. USDA is
encouraged to continue evaluating alternative and equitable
funding mechanisms in consultation with relevant stakeholder
groups.
Agro-Defense Data Collection and Analysis.--The Committee
encourages USDA to support data collection and analytics,
including university-led research, in support of a program to
detect, aggregate, and analyze man-made and naturally occurring
disruptive events, both domestically and abroad, to assist in
developing policy to better secure agricultural infrastructure.
Avian Influenza.--The Committee recognizes the extreme
economic hardship posed to gamebird and egg farmers when flocks
are determined to be infected by high and low pathogenic avian
influenza and acknowledges the severe limitations on controlled
marketing available to producers of live game birds, as well as
the income loss from egg production. The Committee encourages
APHIS to provide full indemnity coverage for gamebird and egg
operations and cease attempts to limit coverage.
Bee Pests.--The Committee remains concerned with declining
bee populations and the tragic implications for pollination of
U.S. agriculture. The Committee directs the agency to continue
priority work with other Federal and State agencies and the
public to manage, suppress, and eradicate varroa mites, small
hive beetles, and other pests and diseases contributing to
colony collapse disorder.
Cattle Fever Ticks.--The Committee appreciates the
commitment by APHIS, including recent additional funding, to
respond to the most recent outbreak of cattle fever ticks. The
Committee encourages the agency to maintain this focus and
provide adequate funding for all activities under the Cattle
Fever Tick Eradication Program [CFTEP]; heighten efforts to
coordinate the response with the Department of Interior on
national wildlife refuges; and provide sufficient funding for
research and scientific tools to be developed that concentrate
on the following: new systematic cattle fever tick treatment
products with longer treatment intervals for cattle; new cattle
fever tick treatment products for wildlife, especially nilgai
antelope; and new or improved cattle fever tick preventative
therapies, such as vaccines, for both cattle and wildlife
hosts. To prevent movement of livestock and game animals
outside of quarantined or high-risk premises, the Committee
encourages APHIS to use available funds for a cost-share
program for the construction and repair of livestock or game
fencing on private lands.
Ceratocystis Disease.--The Department is directed to
continue its reporting on Ceratocystis Disease in the United
States.
Chronic Wasting Disease [CWD].--The Committee provides no
less than $9,000,000 for cervid health activities. Within the
funds provided, APHIS should give consideration to indemnity
payments if warranted. The Committee is also concerned about
the growing threat of chronic wasting disease and its impact on
free-ranging deer populations. Of the amount provided for
cervid health activities, $5,000,000 is provided for APHIS to
allocate funds directly to State departments of wildlife and
State departments of agriculture to further develop and
implement chronic wasting disease surveillance, testing,
management, and response activities. In allocating these funds,
APHIS shall give priority to States that have experienced a
recent incident of CWD, have a CWD monitoring and surveillance
program, and have a diagnostic laboratory system certified for
CWD testing.
Citrus Health Response Program [CHRP].--CHRP is a national
effort to maintain a viable citrus industry within the United
States, maintain producers' continued access to export markets,
and safeguard citrus producing States against a variety of
invasive pests and diseases. These funds are designed to
partner with State departments of agriculture and industry
groups to address the challenges of citrus pests and diseases.
In addition to the funds provided in this account, the
Committee encourages APHIS to utilize the funds available in
the Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention
Programs account to the greatest extent possible in an attempt
to sustain the economic viability of the citrus industry.
Cogongrass Management and Control.--The Committee remains
concerned about the rapid spread of cogongrass and its impact
on forest productivity, wildlife habitat, and private
landowners. The Committee provides $3,000,000 for APHIS to
partner with State departments of agriculture and forestry
commissions in States considered to be the epicenter of
infestations, to assist with the control and treatment of
cogongrass in order to slow the advancing front of this
invasive plant-pest species.
Huanglongbing Emergency Response.--The Committee maintains
the increased funding levels for Huanglongbing Emergency
Response within the Specialty Crop Pests line item included in
fiscal year 2019. The Committee encourages APHIS to allocate
sufficient resources in order to continue vital management,
control, and associated activities to address citrus greening.
The disease, for which there is no cure, has caused a reduction
in citrus production by over 60 percent since 2007 in Florida
alone. All citrus producing counties in Texas are under
quarantine, and California has detected the disease in some
backyard trees in the Los Angeles basin. The spread of this
disease has called the domestic citrus industry's future into
question, costing thousands of jobs and millions in lost
revenue and increased production costs per acre. In addition,
the agency is encouraged to support priorities and strategies
identified by the Huanglongbing Multi-Agency Coordination [HLB-
MAC] Group which will benefit the citrus industry. The agency
should appropriately allocate resources based on critical need
and maximum effect to the citrus industry. The Committee
maintains the fiscal year 2019 funding level for citrus health
to support priorities and strategies identified by the HLB-MAC
group. The MAC is focused on short-term solutions to help the
citrus industry, and the cooperative nature of Federal, State,
and industry representatives in this group is expected to
result in the development of tools and techniques to address
this devastating disease. Helping growers explore new possible
solutions, the MAC has been an effective resource. The agency
should appropriately allocate resources based on critical need
and maximum impact to the citrus industry. These citrus health
activities directly protect citrus production on approximately
765,000 acres in the United States worth more than
$11,000,000,000 in total.
Huanglongbing Multi-Agency Coordination [HLB-MAC] Group.--
The Committee recognizes the significant economic impact of
this disease on the citrus industry, which is especially acute
in Florida and a growing concern in both Texas and California.
The Committee also understands that growers are requesting the
right to try treatments that have begun to show success in
early stages of testing. The Committee encourages the HLB-MAC
group to explore and identify new methods to expedite the
delivery of promising treatments directly to growers. Finally,
the Committee expects any funds which are redirected from
existing HLB-MAC projects be repurposed to other priority HLB-
MAC projects that are showing promising results to ensure these
critical funds remain committed to help facilitate the design
and implementation of the rapid delivery pathway to growers.
Invasive Tree Pests.--The Committee recognizes that the
forests products industry and family forest owners are under
increasing threat from a growing number of invasive forest
pests. It is essential that APHIS carry out a comprehensive
program to counter the spread of invasive species and work
towards complete eradication of the Asian long-horned beetle.
The Secretary is directed to report to the Committee regarding
the steps being taken to eradicate the Asian long-horned beetle
and spotted lanternfly and to minimize the spread of other
pests such as the polyphagous and Kuroshio shot hole borers. As
the emerald ash borer continues to spread, APHIS shall continue
to assist States that have recent detections of emerald ash
borer where assistance will enable States to fully monitor the
insect and to inform and manage public and private land owner
issues.
National Bio and Agro-Defense Human Capital Development.--
The Committee notes that significant resources have been
invested in NBAF and is concerned about projected staffing
shortages of qualified veterinary diagnosticians and scientists
for the NBAF, which is slated for full operation in 2022. The
Committee provides $3,000,000 to APHIS to ensure necessary
steps are taken to develop a qualified workforce that are
subject matter experts in foreign, emerging, and zoonotic
diseases and capable of developing, validating, and conducting
needed diagnostics, performing epidemiologic studies, and
completing bioinformatics analyses. The Committee encourages
APHIS to establish cooperative agreements with academic
research institutions, particularly non-land grant Hispanic-
Serving Institutions, to support the next generation of the
NBAF workforce.
National Clean Plant Network-Berries.--The Committee notes
the importance of the National Clean Plant Network [NCPN] and
its goal to ensure that specialty crop producers have access to
plant material that is free of pests and diseases. The
Committee encourages the Department to assess the additional
needs of the NCPN-Berries to establish an additional full-
service center that provides both diagnostic and therapy
services.
Non-lethal Strategies.--The Committee is aware that
Wildlife Services has worked with landowners to deploy non-
lethal strategies--e.g., fladry, electric fencing, and
livestock guardian dogs--to reduce predator depredation on
livestock. The bill provides an increase of $1,380,000 for
Wildlife Services to hire personnel exclusively to promote and
implement non-lethal livestock-predator conflict deterrence
techniques in interested States and to assist in providing
training in these techniques to agricultural producers,
landowners, and other agency personnel in collaboration with
the National Wildlife Research Center.
Regional Biosecurity Plan for Micronesia and Hawaii.--The
Secretary is directed to submit a report to this Committee on
USDA activities to implement the Regional Biosecurity Plan for
Micronesia and Hawaii [RBP]. The report shall include an update
on agencies' activities to date to implement the RBP and
agencies' planned activities for further implementation.
Roseau Cane.--The Committee remains concerned with the
invasive species scale insect pest that is destroying Roseau
cane in the Mississippi River's Delta region along the Gulf of
Mexico. An estimated 225,000 acres of wetlands in the Delta
have been affected with the die-off, and Roseau cane is
important in maintaining a healthy marsh and preventing
erosion. The Committee directs APHIS to work with ARS and
stakeholders and provides an additional $1,000,000 to develop
an integrated management program for control of the Roseau cane
scale insect pest infestation.
Sudden Oak Death.--The European strain 1 [EU1] and the
North American strain 1 [NA1] of the sudden oak death pathogen
are major threats to western Douglas-fir/tanoak forests,
resulting in quarantine restrictions that threaten U.S. forests
and export markets for log shipments and lily bulbs. The
Committee recommendation includes no less than the fiscal year
2019 funding level to improve understanding of the European
Strain 1 and North American Strain 1 of the sudden oak death
pathogen and treatment methods to inform control and management
techniques in wildlands.
Tropical Fruit Pest Risks.--The Committee is concerned
about proposals to allow the importation of fresh tropical
fruits from Mexico, including mamey sapote, sapodilla, soursop,
and mombin. In particular, the Committee believes the risks of
imported pests associated with these fruits are significantly
understated in the agency's May 2, 2019 pest risk analyses and
that the specific mitigation measures recommended are not
robust enough to minimize the threat to U.S. agriculture.
West Nile Virus.--The Committee remains concerned with the
threats to human and animal health posed by West Nile virus and
recognizes that a critical strategy for addressing these
threats is necessary to prevent the infection and transmission
by known vectors, including farm-raised alligators. The
Committee encourages APHIS to further investigate West Nile
virus and other infectious diseases affecting farm raised
alligators and develop treatments and methods to prevent
infection and transmission.
Wildlife Damage Management.--APHIS is responsible for
providing Federal leadership in managing problems caused by
wildlife. The Committee provides $109,756,000 for wildlife
damage control to maintain priority initiatives, including
preventing the transport of invasive snakes and other harmful
species. No less than the fiscal year 2019 level should be
available for the agency to reduce blackbird depredation in the
Northern Great Plains.
The Committee maintains support for assistance to catfish
producers to help mitigate wildlife depredation, particularly
as it pertains to fish-eating and disease-carrying birds. The
Committee provides no less than the fiscal year 2019 level for
damage management efforts and the development of methods to
assist producers in combatting the persistent threat and
economic hardship caused by cormorants, pelicans, and other
birds.
The Committee recognizes the importance of the National
Feral Swine Damage Management Program in reducing adverse
ecological and economic impacts caused by feral swine. The
Committee provides no less than the fiscal year 2019 level in
support of APHIS efforts to decrease these invasive pests'
damage and risk to agriculture, natural resources, and
property.
The Committee provides $28,000,000 for the National Rabies
Management Program to fortify existing barriers and advance
prevention and eradication efforts.
Given the shared and complementary goals of Wildlife Damage
Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to
sustainably integrate wildlife into natural habitats while
protecting livestock, the Secretary is directed to coordinate
with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on innovative
strategies to provide predator management and reduce predator-
livestock conflict. The Secretary is further directed to report
to this Committee on how the two agencies can work together to
improve wildlife management.
Wildlife Services Education and Training.--The Committee is
aware of the wide range of hazardous procedures and materials
utilized by APHIS personnel in the conduct of daily duties. In
addition, a recent comprehensive study noted the critical need
to provide standardized safety training, certification, and
database management for tracking to ensure the safest working
environment possible. As such, the Committee provides
$2,000,000 within Wildlife Damage Management to maintain a
National Training Academy focused on those areas of greatest
concern such as pyrotechnics, firearms, hazardous materials,
immobilization and euthanasia drugs, pesticides, animal care
and handling, land vehicles, watercraft, and zoonotic diseases.
BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $3,175,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 2,709,000
Committee recommendation................................ 3,175,000
The APHIS appropriation for ``Buildings and Facilities''
funds major nonrecurring construction projects in support of
specific program activities and recurring construction,
alterations, preventive maintenance, and repairs of existing
APHIS facilities.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommendation includes an appropriation of
$3,175,000 for buildings and facilities of the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service. This funding is necessary to allow
APHIS to maintain existing facilities and perform critically
needed repairs to and replacements of building components, such
as heating, ventilation and air-conditioning on a prioritized
basis at APHIS facilities. The Committee notes that due to the
environmentally sensitive nature of many APHIS facilities,
closure of a facility could result if APHIS is unable to
complete the required repairs.
Agricultural Marketing Service
MARKETING SERVICES
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $159,095,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 115,143,000
Committee recommendation................................ 181,549,000
The Agricultural Marketing Service [AMS] was established by
the Secretary of Agriculture on April 2, 1972. AMS carries out
programs authorized by more than 50 different statutory
authorities, the primary ones being the Agricultural Marketing
Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627, 1635-1638); the U.S. Cotton
Standards Act (7 U.S.C. 51-65); the Cotton Statistics and
Estimates Act (7 U.S.C. 471-476); the Tobacco Inspection Act (7
U.S.C. 511-511q); the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act
(7 U.S.C. 499a-499t); the Egg Products Inspection Act (21
U.S.C. 1031-1056); and section 32 of the Act of 1935 (Public
Law 74-320, 7 U.S.C. 612c).
Programs administered by this agency include the market
news services, standardization, grading, classing, shell egg
surveillance services, transportation services, wholesale
farmers and alternative market development, grant payments to
States for marketing activities, the Federal administration of
marketing agreements and orders, commodity purchases,
Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act, the Plant Variety
Protection Act (Public Law 71-325), and market protection and
promotion activities.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $181,549,000
for Marketing Services of the Agricultural Marketing Service.
The Committee provides an additional $2,000,000 for the
Acer Access and Development Program. The Secretary shall use
the increase for competitive grants for the promotion of
research and education.
Hemp.--The Committee provides $16,500,000 for
implementation of the hemp provisions of the Agriculture
Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334). The Committee is
concerned that the regulations and guidance required to fully
implement the hemp provisions included in the Agriculture
Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334) may not be
completed in time to give States and farmers sufficient time to
plan for the 2020 crop year, which would further delay the
commercial production and interstate commerce of hemp in the
United States. Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary
to implement the new Hemp Production Program promptly to allow
for a clear regulatory framework and approval of State plans
ahead of the 2020 crop year. The Committee further directs the
Secretary to fully coordinate and communicate among USDA
agencies and with other Federal agencies to support the
commercial production and interstate commerce of industrial
hemp.
Mango Referendum.--The Committee is aware that, because of
a controversial referendum, AMS recently announced that frozen
mangoes would be added as a covered commodity in its fresh
mango national research and promotion program. The Committee is
further aware of significant concerns regarding the process by
which AMS conducted the referendum regarding the inclusion of
frozen mangoes, including minimal consultation with the frozen
mango industry and ballot distribution, which gave
disproportionate representation to the fresh mango industry.
Therefore, the Committee directs AMS to halt the implementation
of the assessments on the frozen mango industry.
National Organic Program.--The Committee provides
$15,094,000 for the National Organic Program [NOP], an increase
of $1,000,000. A healthy market for organic products requires a
clear product distinction backed by a trusted, verified, and
enforced label. The Committee recognizes that the NOP, which
enforces the organic regulations and ensures they evolve to
keep pace with consumer expectations, is essential. In light of
recent reports of inadequate enforcement of organic standards,
the Committee directs USDA to provide all resources needed for
the NOP to deliver the strongest possible oversight before
allowing the USDA organic seal to be granted to domestic and
international operations and products.
Native American Foods and Tourism.--The Committee
recognizes that enhanced Native American tourism creates
important job opportunities in Native American communities
while showcasing their heritage, food, traditions, history, and
continuing vitality. The Committee encourages USDA to support
the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience
Act (Public Law 114-221) by prioritizing projects that market,
promote, or expand Native American foods, markets, and
enterprises.
Organic Certification for Wild Seafood.--The Committee is
aware of interest in developing organic production, handling,
and labeling standards for wild caught seafood as provided for
in Section 6506 of the Organic Foods Production Act (7 U.S.C.
6506(c)). The Committee urges USDA to initiate dialogue with
interested parties, including the wild caught seafood industry
and the organic community, to determine the feasibility and
framework for establishing such standards.
Organic Dairy.--The Committee is disappointed by continued
reports of inconsistencies in the enforcement and
interpretation of regulations that apply to organic dairy
farms. The Committee directs the NOP to resolve these issues
and eliminate any inconsistencies in applying and enforcing
regulations relating to the transition of livestock to organic
dairy production and dry matter intake during the grazing
season for organic dairy cattle. The Secretary must ensure that
organic inspectors, certification file review staff, and NOP
Organic Certification staff have documented training and
experience in livestock nutrition and grazing on organic
dairies with more than 1,000 milking cows if they are
certifying operations of that size, and also that separate dry
matter intake calculations are made for each category of dairy
cow and not averaged among milking and dry cows, and that
inspections are conducted during the grazing season.
Organic Data Initiative.--The Committee supports continued
coordination with NASS for activities related to expanding
organic price reporting and organic data collection.
LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
Limitation, 2019........................................ $61,227,000
Budget limitation, 2020................................. 60,982,000
Committee recommendation................................ 61,227,000
The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (Public Law
97-35) initiated a system of user fees for the cost of grading
and classing cotton, and tobacco. These activities, authorized
under the U.S. Cotton Standards Act (7 U.S.C. 51 et seq.), the
Tobacco Inspection Act (7 U.S.C. 511 et seq.), and other
provisions of law are designed to facilitate commerce and
protect participants in the industry.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends a limitation of $61,227,000 on
administrative expenses of the Agricultural Marketing Service.
FUNDS FOR STRENGTHENING MARKETS, INCOME, AND SUPPLY (SECTION 32)
(including transfers of funds)
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $20,705,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 20,705,000
Committee recommendation................................ 20,705,000
Under section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935, (Public Law
74-320), an amount equal to 30 percent of customs receipts
collected during each preceding calendar year and unused
balances are available for encouraging the domestic consumption
and exportation of agricultural commodities. An amount equal to
30 percent of receipts collected on fishery products is
transferred to the Department of Commerce. Additional transfers
to the child nutrition programs of the Food and Nutrition
Service have been provided in recent appropriations Acts.
The following table reflects the status of this fund for
fiscal years 2019-2020:
ESTIMATED TOTAL FUNDS AVAILABLE AND BALANCE CARRIED FORWARD-- FISCAL YEARS 2019-2020
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year 2019 Fiscal year 2020 Committee
enacted budget request recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation (30% of Customs Receipts)................... 10,624,198 15,123,425 15,123,425
Less Transfers:
Food and Nutrition Service............................ -9,092,218 -13,561,425 -13,561,425
Commerce Department................................... -157,980 -158,000 -158,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Total, Transfers.................................... -9,250,198 -13,719,425 -13,719,425
-----------------------------------------------------
Budget Authority, Farm Bill......................... 1,374,000 1,404,000 1,404,000
Appropriations Temporarily Reduced--Sequestration......... -74,400 -72,216 -72,216
-----------------------------------------------------
Budget Authority, Appropriations Act................ 1,299,600 1,331,784 1,331,784
=====================================================
Less Obligations:
Child Nutrition Programs (Entitlement Commodities).... 485,000 485,000 485,000
State Option Contract................................. 5,000 5,000 5,000
Removal of Defective Commodities...................... 2,500 2,500 2,500
Disaster Relief....................................... 5,000 5,000 5,000
Additional Fruits, Vegetables, and Nuts Purchases..... 206,000 206,000 206,000
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program..................... 174,000 180,000 180,000
Estimated Future Needs................................ 365,542 391,726 391,726
-----------------------------------------------------
Total, Commodity Procurement........................ 1,243,042 1,275,226 1,275,226
=====================================================
Administrative Funds:
Commodity Purchase Support............................ 35,853 35,853 35,853
Marketing Agreements and Orders....................... 20,705 20,705 20,705
-----------------------------------------------------
Total, Administrative Funds......................... 56,558 56,558 56,558
-----------------------------------------------------
Total Obligations................................... 1,299,600 1,331,784 1,331,784
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends a transfer from section 32 funds
of $20,705,000 for the formulation and administration of
marketing agreements and orders.
Section 32 Authorities.--Under the authority described in
clause 3 of 7 U.S.C. 612c, the Secretary is able to direct
funds from the section 32 account to increase the purchasing
power of producers. This practice has been used on various
occasions to provide direct assistance to producers when market
forces or natural conditions adversely affect the financial
condition of farmers and ranchers. The Committee notes the
importance of the ability of the Secretary to utilize this
authority, but believes that communication between the
Department and the Congress should be improved when this
practice is used. Therefore, the Committee directs the
Secretary to provide notification to the Appropriations
Committee in advance of any public announcement or release of
section 32 funds under the specific authorities cited above.
PAYMENTS TO STATES AND POSSESSIONS
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $1,235,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 1,109,000
Committee recommendation................................ 1,235,000
The Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program [FSMIP] is
authorized by section 204(b) of the Agricultural Marketing Act
of 1946 and is also funded from appropriations. Matching grants
are awarded on a competitive basis to State marketing agencies
to identify and test market alternative farm commodities,
determine methods of providing more reliable market
information, and develop better commodity grading standards.
This program has made possible many types of projects, such as
electronic marketing and agricultural product diversification.
Current projects are focused on the improvement of marketing
efficiency and effectiveness, and seeking new outlets for
existing farm produced commodities. The legislation grants USDA
authority to establish cooperative agreements with State
departments of agriculture or similar State agencies to improve
the efficiency of the agricultural marketing chain. The States
perform the work or contract it to others, and must contribute
at least one-half of the cost of the projects.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,235,000 for
Payments to States and Possessions for Federal-State marketing
projects and activities.
LIMITATION ON INSPECTION AND WEIGHING SERVICES EXPENSES
Limitation, 2019........................................ $55,000,000
Budget limitation, 2020................................. 80,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 55,000,000
The agency provides an official grain inspection and
weighing system under the U.S. Grain Standards Act [USGSA], and
official inspection of rice and grain-related products under
the Agricultural Marketing Act [AMA] of 1946. The USGSA was
amended in 1981 to require the collection of user fees to fund
the costs associated with the operation, supervision, and
administration of Federal grain inspection and weighing
activities.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends a limitation of $55,000,000 on
inspection and weighing services expenses.
Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $800,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 800,000
Committee recommendation................................ 800,000
The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety provides
direction and coordination in carrying out the laws enacted by
the Congress with respect to the Department's inspection of
meat, poultry, and processed egg products. The Office has
oversight and management responsibilities for the Food Safety
and Inspection Service.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $800,000 for
the Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety.
Food Safety and Inspection Service
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $1,049,344,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 1,045,320,000
Committee recommendation................................ 1,054,344,000
The major objectives of the Food Safety and Inspection
Service are to assure that meat and poultry products are
wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled and packaged, as
required by the Federal Meat Inspection Act (Public Law 59-242)
and the Poultry Products Inspection Act (Public Law 85-172), as
amended; and to provide continuous in-plant inspection to egg
processing plants under the Egg Products Inspection Act.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service was established on
June 17, 1981, by Secretary's Memorandum No. 1000-1, issued
pursuant to Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1953.
The inspection program of the Food Safety and Inspection
Service provides in-plant inspection of all domestic plants
preparing meat, poultry, or egg products for sale or
distribution; reviews foreign inspection systems and
establishments that prepare meat or poultry products for export
to the United States; and provides technical and financial
assistance to States which maintain meat and poultry inspection
programs.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,054,344,000
for the Food Safety and Inspection Service [FSIS].
Humane Slaughter.--The Committee directs FSIS to continue
to provide annual reports to the Committee on the
implementation of objective scoring methods undertaken by FSIS
to enforce the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (Public Law 85-
765).
The Committee also directs FSIS to ensure that personnel
hired with funding previously provided specifically for Humane
Methods of Slaughter Act (Public Law 85-765) enforcement focus
their attention on overseeing compliance with humane handling
rules for live animals as they arrive and are offloaded and
handled in pens, chutes, and stunning areas and that all
inspectors receive robust training.
Public Health Veterinarians.--The Committee remains
concerned about persistently high levels of public health
veterinary [PHV] vacancies within FSIS and directs the agency
to provide a report detailing overall PHV workforce needs,
including positions that may be chronically hard to fill; the
recruitment and retention programs implemented to-date,
including a status of the funding spent on these initiatives
and an estimate of when funding will be exhausted; additional
actions taken to resolve the chronic and perpetual workforce
issues; and a discussion of the agency's efforts to address
these workforce issues in the long-term.
The following table represents the Committee's specific
recommendations for the Food Safety and Inspection Service as
compared to the fiscal year 2019 and budget request levels:
FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE SALARIES AND EXPENSES
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year
Fiscal year 2020 budget Committee
2019 enacted request recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Food safety inspection:
Federal..................................................... 936,324 927,300 936,324
State....................................................... 61,682 66,682 66,682
International............................................... 16,758 16,758 16,758
PHDCIS...................................................... 34,580 34,580 34,580
-----------------------------------------------
Total..................................................... 1,049,344 1,045,320 1,054,344
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TITLE II
FARM PRODUCTION AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMS
Office of the Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $901,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 875,000
Committee recommendation................................ 901,000
The Office of the Under Secretary for Farm Production and
Conservation provides direction and coordination in carrying
out the laws enacted by the Congress with respect to the
Department's commodity programs, farm loans, disaster
assistance, crop insurance, natural resources conservation and
environment programs, and certain energy programs. The Office
has oversight and management responsibilities for the Farm
Service Agency (including the Commodity Credit Corporation),
Risk Management Agency, and the Natural Resources Conservation
Service.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $901,000 for
the Office of the Under Secretary for Farm Production and
Conservation.
Emergency Response.--The Committee directs USDA to produce
a report outlining the average and longest length of time it
takes USDA to provide reimbursement under the following
emergency assistance programs: crop insurance; Noninsured Crop
Disaster Assistance Program [NAP]; Livestock Indemnity Program
[LIP]; Livestock Forage Disaster Program [LFP]; Emergency
Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish
Program [ELAP]; Tree Assistance Program [TAP]; Emergency
Conservation Program; and Emergency Forest Restoration Program
[EFRP]. USDA is also directed to include in the report any
barriers to implementing a more efficient reimbursement process
and recommendations to the Committee on potential improvements.
Farm Production and Conservation Business Center
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $216,350,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 206,530,000
Committee recommendation................................ 206,530,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $206,530,000
for the Farm Production and Conservation Business Center.
Business Center Report.--The Farm and Production
Conservation [FPAC] Business Center was created by the
Secretary in 2018 with the goal of consolidating administrative
functions within the newly created FPAC mission area, with
assurances given that this would lead to reduced inefficiencies
and increased customer service. However, the Committee is aware
of reports of prolonged delays in filling critical vacancies,
which has led to delays in the deployment of important
conservation and commodity programs. The Committee is also
concerned by reports of additional functions and critical NRCS
State staff positions being moved to the FPAC Business Center.
Within 60 days of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
report to the Committee on what efficiencies have been gained,
by which metrics the Business Center is being measured, how the
Business Center will accelerate hiring going forward, and any
existing plans for additional reorganizations of staff into the
Business Center.
Farm Service Agency
The Farm Service Agency [FSA] was established October 13,
1994, pursuant to the Federal Crop Insurance Reform and
Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (Public
Law 103-354). The FSA administers a variety of activities, such
as the commodity price support and production adjustment
programs financed by the Commodity Credit Corporation; the
Conservation Reserve Program [CRP]; the Emergency Conservation
Program; the Commodity Operation Programs including the
warehouse examination function; farm ownership, farm operating,
emergency disaster, and other loan programs; and the Noninsured
Crop Disaster Assistance Program [NAP], which provides crop
loss protection for growers of many crops for which crop
insurance is not available. In addition, FSA currently provides
certain administrative support services to the Foreign
Agricultural Service [FAS] and to the Risk Management Agency
[RMA].
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transfers from Total, FSA,
Appropriations program salaries and
accounts expenses
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2019......................................... 1,081,655 293,522 1,375,177
Budget estimate, 2020........................................ 1,012,008 294,567 1,306,575
Committee recommendation..................................... 1,127,837 294,574 1,422,411
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The account Salaries and Expenses, Farm Service Agency,
funds the administrative expenses of program administration and
other functions assigned to FSA. The funds consist of
appropriations and transfers from the CCC export credit
guarantees, Food for Peace loans, and Agricultural Credit
Insurance Fund program accounts, and miscellaneous advances
from other sources. All administrative funds used by FSA are
consolidated into one account. The consolidation provides
clarity and better management and control of funds and
facilitates accounting, fiscal, and budgetary work by
eliminating the necessity for making individual allocations and
allotments and maintaining and recording obligations and
expenditures under numerous separate accounts.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,422,269,000
for salaries and expenses of the Farm Service Agency, including
a direct appropriation of $1,127,837,000. The Committee
supports the mission of FSA and the important services that
they provide across the country; therefore, the Committee does
not accept the full decrease for information technology as
proposed in the budget. The Committee accepts the proposed
information technology savings and provides a net increase of
$11,182,000 for IT improvements. The Committee recommendation
also includes an increase of $35,000,000 for implementation of
the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334).
Acreage Crop Reporting Streamlining Initiative.--The
Committee recognizes the importance of reducing administrative
burdens on farmers, increasing data integrity and accuracy, and
eliminating redundant reporting and is pleased with the initial
progress that has been made by FSA and RMA in implementing the
Acreage Crop Reporting Streamlining Initiative. However, the
Committee is aware that the success of the initiative is
dependent on technology and quality information. Therefore, the
Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation is
directed to prioritize and dedicate appropriate funding to this
initiative to ensure there is a seamless transfer of producers'
information across the agencies within the FPAC mission area.
Continuous Conservation Reserve Program.--The Secretary is
strongly encouraged, within the total acreage made available
for enrollment in the conservation reserve program and without
reducing the periodic availability of general signup, to
enroll, to the maximum extent practicable, acreage for
activities included in the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement
practice or other similar administratively established wetland
and habitat practices that benefit priority fish and wildlife
species identified in State, regional, and national
conservation initiatives with a priority for initiatives that
provide large blocks of cover ideal for wildlife nesting.
ELAP Farm-Raised Fish Assistance.--The Committee recognizes
that economic losses due to disease and avian predation
continue to threaten the viability of the U.S. aquaculture
industry. Current regulations for the Emergency Assistance for
Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program [ELAP]
administered by FSA do not provide adequate protections against
the primary risks faced by farm-raised fish producers. The
Committee notes that the statutory authority provided under 7
U.S.C. 9081(d) directs the Secretary to provide emergency
assistance for producers of farm-raised fish to aid in the
reduction of losses due to disease, or other conditions as
determined by the Secretary, yet the FSA regulations under 7
CFR part 1416.102 specify that only bait or game fish, not
farm-raised fish intended for human consumption, are eligible
for ELAP death losses. To ensure adequate supplemental disaster
assistance for farm-raised fish producers, the Committee
directs the Secretary, through the Acting Administrator for
Farm Programs, to modify its regulations to provide that
producers of farm-raised fish are eligible for death losses
under ELAP and that bird predation and disease be deemed
eligible loss conditions. The Committee recognizes the
challenges associated with quantifying actual mortality losses
associated with bird predation and disease, and therefore
encourages FSA to explore alternative payment calculation
methods for farm-raised death losses, such as, but not limited
to, whole-farm actual revenue losses compared to historic five-
year average revenue and compensation based on cost incurred to
deter predatory avian species.
Information Technology.--The Committee remains dedicated to
ensuring FSA has reliable and functioning IT systems because it
is critical that farmers and ranchers have access to the tools
they need to succeed. The Committee has invested significant
taxpayer dollars to modernize outdated systems and continues to
provide resources above the budget request. The Committee
continues statutory language that allows funds for IT to be
obligated only after the Secretary meets certain reporting
requirements. The Committee has reviewed the third-party IT
analysis and expects the agency to follow the recommendations
where applicable.
Livestock Indemnity Payments.--The Committee is aware of
the livestock losses that have occurred due to recent severe
weather events in the Rocky Mountains, the Plains, the
Mississippi Valley, and the Great Lakes regions. Therefore, the
Committee encourages the Department to prioritize the
regulatory updates authorized by Section 1501(b) of the
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334) to
ensure that Livestock Indemnity Program assistance is provided
to producers as soon as possible.
National Agriculture Imagery Program.--The Committee
recommends that funding shall be allocated to purchase imagery
products to meet programmatic requirements.
Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance.--The Committee is
concerned that the Department is failing to provide adequate
risk protection through the Non-insured Crop Assistance Program
for farmers producing hay forage with legume grass mixes. These
crops often suffer quality loses resulting in adverse economic
impacts, yet these farms have no meaningful source of risk
protection. The Committee encourages the Secretary to establish
within the Non-insured Crop Assistance Program an additional
Forage Category to reflect the relative feed value, and the
potential for quality loss, of legume grass mix forage.
Panther Depredation.--The Committee is aware that livestock
producers in Florida have suffered from panther depredation. To
support the ongoing conservation and recovery of endangered
Florida panthers while minimizing conflicts with ranchers, the
Committee encourages FSA to work with ranchers to tailor the
Livestock Indemnity Program [LIP] to address unique
circumstances currently preventing producers from receiving
compensation for losses stemming from Florida panther
depredation events.
STATE MEDIATION GRANTS
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $3,904,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 3,067,000
Committee recommendation................................ 5,545,000
This program is authorized under title V of the
Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-233).
Originally designed to address agricultural credit disputes,
the program was expanded by the Federal Crop Insurance Reform
and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994
(Public Law 103-354) to include other agricultural issues such
as wetland determinations, conservation compliance, rural water
loan programs, grazing on National Forest System lands, and
pesticides. Grants are made to States whose mediation programs
have been certified by the FSA. Grants will be solely for
operation and administration of the State's agricultural
mediation program.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $5,545,000 for
State Mediation Grants.
GRASSROOTS SOURCE WATER PROTECTION PROGRAM
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $6,500,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 6,500,000
This program is intended to assist in the protection of
groundwater through State rural water associations.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $6,500,000 for
Grassroots Source Water Protection.
DAIRY INDEMNITY PROGRAM
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $500,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 500,000
Committee recommendation................................ 500,000
Under the program, the Department makes indemnification
payments to dairy farmers and manufacturers of dairy products
who, through no fault of their own, suffer income losses
because they are directed to remove their milk from commercial
markets due to contamination of their products by registered
pesticides. The program also authorizes indemnity payments to
dairy farmers for losses resulting from the removal of cows or
dairy products from the market due to nuclear radiation or
fallout.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of such sums as
may be necessary, estimated in fiscal year 2020 to be $500,000,
for indemnity payments to dairy farmers.
PFAS Contamination.--The Committee is aware that a small
number of dairy farms are unable to sell their milk as a result
of contamination from a family of synthetic chemicals, known as
perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, collectively
known as ``PFAS'' chemicals. The Committee notes that USDA's
own research has shown that PFAS residues remain detectable in
contaminated livestock even after an extended withdrawal
period, which could result in potential human exposure.
Therefore, the Secretary is directed to utilize the Dairy
Indemnity Payment Program to purchase and remove PFAS
contaminated cows from the market, rather than paying for
prolonged monthly production indemnities. The Secretary should
utilize the established, applicable Livestock Indemnity Program
average fair market value price to compensate for PFAS
contaminated cows at affected dairies.
AGRICULTURAL CREDIT INSURANCE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
The Agricultural Credit Insurance Fund Program Account is
used to provide direct and guaranteed farm ownership, farm
operating, conservation, Indian highly fractioned land, and
emergency loans to individuals, as well as the following types
of loans to associations: irrigation and drainage, grazing,
Indian tribe land acquisition, and boll weevil eradication.
FSA is also authorized to provide financial assistance to
borrowers by guaranteeing loans made by private lenders having
a contract of guarantee from FSA as approved by the Secretary
of Agriculture and to establish Beginning Farmer and Rancher
Individual Development grant accounts.
The following programs are financed through this fund:
Boll Weevil Eradication Loans.--Made to assist foundations
in financing the operations of the boll weevil eradication
programs provided to farmers.
Credit Sales of Acquired Property.--Property is sold out of
inventory and is made available to an eligible buyer by
providing FSA loans.
Emergency Loans.--Made to producers to aid recovery from
production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, other
natural disasters, or quarantine. The loans may be used to:
restore or replace essential property; pay all or part of
production costs associated with the disaster year; pay
essential family living expenses; reorganize the farming
operation; and refinance certain debts.
Farm Operating Loans.--Provide short-to-intermediate term
production or chattel credit to farmers who cannot obtain
credit elsewhere, to improve their farm and home operations,
and to develop or maintain a reasonable standard of living. The
term of the loan varies from one to seven years.
Farm Ownership Loans.--Made to borrowers who cannot obtain
credit elsewhere to restructure their debts, improve or
purchase farms, refinance nonfarm enterprises which supplement
but do not supplant farm income, or make additions to farms.
Loans are made for 40 years or less.
Indian Tribe Land Acquisition Loans.--Made to any Indian
tribe recognized by the Secretary of the Interior or tribal
corporation established pursuant to the Indian Reorganization
Act (Public Law 93-638) which does not have adequate
uncommitted funds to acquire lands or interest in lands within
the tribe's reservation or Alaskan Indian community, as
determined by the Secretary of the Interior, for use of the
tribe or the corporation or the members thereof.
Indian Highly Fractionated Land Loans.--Made to Indian
tribal members to purchase highly fractionated lands, as
authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008
(Public Law 110-234).
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends a total loan level of
$8,037,801,000 for programs within the Agricultural Credit
Insurance Fund Program Account.
Loan Programs.--The Committee continues to support FSA loan
programs that ensure farmers and ranchers have access to credit
to maintain and improve their operations. The Committee is
aware of the heightened operating loan activity in fiscal year
2019 and notes the statutory authority allowing program level
increases that do not require additional budget authority. The
Committee will continue to monitor program demand in the coming
months and directs FSA to provide timely estimates for future
needs.
The following table reflects the program levels for farm
credit programs administered by the Farm Service Agency
recommended by the Committee, as compared to the fiscal year
2019 and the budget request levels:
AGRICULTURAL CREDIT PROGRAMS--LOAN LEVELS
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year
Fiscal year 2020 budget Committee
2019 enacted request recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Farm Ownership:
Direct................................................... 1,500,000 1,500,000 1,500,000
Guaranteed............................................... 2,750,000 2,750,000 2,750,000
Farm Operating:
Direct................................................... 1,530,000 1,550,133 1,550,133
Guaranteed unsubsidized.................................. 1,960,000 1,614,953 1,960,000
Emergency Loans.............................................. 37,668 29,181 37,668
Indian Tribe Land Acquisition................................ 20,000 20,000 20,000
Conservation Loans:
Guaranteed............................................... 150,000 150,000 150,000
Indian Highly Fractionated Land Loans........................ 10,000 ............... 10,000
Boll Weevil Eradication...................................... 30,000 60,000 60,000
--------------------------------------------------
Total, Loan Authorizations........................... 7,987,668 7,674,267 8,037,801
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 established the
program account. Appropriations to this account are used to
cover the lifetime subsidy costs associated with the direct
loans obligated and loan guarantees committed, as well as for
administrative expenses.
The following table reflects the cost of programs under
credit reform:
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year
Fiscal year 2020 budget Committee
2019 enacted request recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Farm Operating:
Direct................................................... 59,670 58,440 58,440
Guaranteed unsubsidized.................................. 21,168 17,280 20,972
Emergency Loans.............................................. 1,567 1,567 2,023
Indian Highly Fractionated Land Loans........................ 2,134 ............... 2,745
Boll Weevil Eradication...................................... ............... 60 60
--------------------------------------------------
Total, Loan Subsidies.................................... 84,539 77,347 84,240
==================================================
ACIF Expenses:
Salaries and Expenses.................................... 290,917 294,114 294,114
Administrative Expenses.................................. 10,070 9,567 9,567
Transfer to FPAC Business Center............................. 16,081 16,081 16,081
--------------------------------------------------
Total, ACIF Expenses................................. 317,068 319,762 319,762
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Risk Management Agency
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $58,361,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 56,045,000
Committee recommendation................................ 58,361,000
The Risk Management Agency performs administrative
functions relative to the Federal Crop Insurance program that
is authorized by the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C.
1508), as amended by the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of
2000 [ARPA] (Public Law 106-224), and the Agricultural Act of
2014 (Public Law 113-79).
ARPA authorized significant changes in the crop insurance
program. This act provides higher government subsidies for
producer premiums to make coverage more affordable; expands
research and development for new insurance products and under-
served areas through contracts with the private sector; and
tightens compliance. Functional areas of risk management are:
research and development; insurance services; and compliance,
whose functions include policy formulation and procedures and
regulations development.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $58,361,000
for Risk Management Agency, Salaries and Expenses.
The Committee recognizes that there are many research
priorities that competitive funding may be used to address,
including the feasibility of insurance programs to cover
business interruption due to integrator bankruptcy and
catastrophic loss in the poultry industry. The Committee
encourages RMA to support research into these priorities.
Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage Pilot Program.--While the
Committee supports efforts to ensure that crop insurance
programs are actuarially sound and reflect the value of the
commodities, the Committee is concerned by recent adjustments
to the Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage Pilot Program that have
resulted in significant fluctuations to the county base values.
The Secretary is directed to ensure that future adjustments to
the county base value be phased in or made gradually in order
to avoid the dramatic changes that some producers have
experienced in recent years. The Committee expects the
Secretary to provide policyholders adequate notification of any
such changes well in advance of the sales closing date.
Natural Resources Conservation Service
The Natural Resources Conservation Service [NRCS] was
established pursuant to the Department of Agriculture
Reorganization Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-354). The NRCS works
with conservation districts, watershed groups, and Federal and
State agencies to bring about physical adjustments in land use
that will conserve soil and water resources, provide for
agricultural production on a sustained basis, and reduce flood
damage and sedimentation.
CONSERVATION OPERATIONS
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $819,492,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 755,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 835,228,000
Conservation operations are authorized by Public Law 74-46
(16 U.S.C. 590a-590f). Activities include:
Conservation Technical Assistance provides assistance to
district cooperators and other land users in the planning and
application of conservation treatments to control erosion and
improve the quantity and quality of soil resources, improve and
conserve water, enhance fish and wildlife habitat, conserve
energy, improve woodland, pasture and range conditions, and
reduce upstream flooding; all to protect and enhance the
natural resource base.
Resource appraisal and program development ensures that
programs administered by the Secretary for the conservation of
soil, water, and related resources shall respond to the
Nation's long-term needs.
Plant Materials Centers assemble, test, and encourage
increased use of plant species which show promise for use in
the treatment of conservation problem areas.
Snow Survey and Water Forecasting provides estimates of
annual water availability from high mountain snow packs and
relates to summer stream flow in the Western States and Alaska.
Information is used by agriculture, industry, and cities in
estimating future water supplies.
Soil Surveys inventory the Nation's basic soil resources
and determine land capabilities and conservation treatment
needs. Soil survey publications include interpretations useful
to cooperators, other Federal agencies, State, and local
organizations.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $835,228,000
for Conservation Operations. The Committee recommendation
includes $741,360,000 for Conservation Technical Assistance,
$74,987,000 for Soil Surveys, $9,400,000 for Snow Survey and
Water Forecasting, and $9,481,000 for Plant Materials Centers.
The Committee provides an increase of $9,834,000 for the
Farmer.gov Customer Experience Portal program.
Acre-for-Acre Wetlands Mitigation.--The Secretary is
encouraged to use mitigation with the conversion of a natural
wetland and equivalent wetlands functions at a ratio not to
exceed a ratio of 1-to-1 acreage.
Critical Conservation Areas.--The Committee directs NRCS to
maintain the status of the Mississippi River Basin [MRB], the
Ohio River Basin [ORB], and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed [CBW]
as Critical Conservation Areas under the Regional Conservation
Partnership Program [RCPP] and to include MRB, ORB, and CBW
States as priority areas for Critical Conservation Area funding
under RCPP. The Committee also encourages NRCS to leverage all
possible resources to identify nutrient loss and reduce runoff
to achieve the goals of the 2015 Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan.
Drought Resilience.--The Committee is particularly
concerned about the severe and prolonged drought in the West
and applauds the passage of the Colorado River Basin Drought
Contingency Plans. The Committee appreciates NRCS's efforts to
increase efficiencies in current water use and expects NRCS to
utilize all available opportunities to assist producers,
irrigators, and irrigation districts in implementing area-wide
plans to address drought resiliency and mitigation in a way
that maintains strong rural and agriculture communities and
protects our natural resources. In providing this assistance,
the Committee further expects the NRCS to prioritize support
for implementation of Drought Contingency Plans, agreements, or
programs that would conserve surface or ground water, improve
drought resiliency, and address current and anticipated
conservation needs and severe drought-related resource
concerns.
Innovative Water Conservation.--The Committee recognizes
the devastating impacts wrought by severe and prolonged drought
across many regions of the country. The Committee notes that
the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334)
made several updates to address water conservation and drought
mitigation, including eligibility changes for water
conservation and irrigation efficiency practices. NRCS is
encouraged to work with eligible entities, including but not
limited to producers, States, irrigation districts, and
acequias, to help them implement critical innovative drought
resiliency and mitigation efforts, which maintain strong rural
and agriculture communities while protecting natural resources.
Program Duplication.--The Committee directs NRCS to provide
a report within 90 days of enactment of this Act on actions it
will take to eliminate program duplication as identified in IG
reports.
Soil Health.--The Committee recognizes that improving soil
health on agricultural lands is key to achieving both
meaningful conservation and economic benefits for producers.
The Committee notes that the Agriculture Improvement Act of
2018 (Public Law 115-334) provided $25,000,000 in mandatory
funding to carry out new on-farm conservation innovation trials
to test new or innovative conservation approaches and directed
the Secretary to carry out a soil health demonstration trial to
provide incentives to producers to implement practices that
improve soil health and increase carbon levels in the soil. The
Committee encourages the Secretary to implement the soil health
demonstration trial and establish protocols for measuring and
testing carbon levels to evaluate gains in soil health.
Technical Assistance.--The Committee directs NRCS to
maintain a record of total technical assistance dollars for the
past three years and annually in the future and provide the
data to the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and the
Committee on Agriculture Nutrition and Forestry. This report
should differentiate mandatory and discretionary allocations.
WATERSHED AND FLOOD PREVENTION OPERATIONS
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $150,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 175,000,000
The Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (Public
Law 566, 83d Cong.) (16 U.S.C. 1000-1005, 1007-1009) provides
for cooperation between the Federal Government and the States
and their political subdivisions in a program to prevent
erosion, floodwater, and sediment damages in the watersheds or
rivers and streams and to further the conservation,
development, utilization, and disposal of water and the
conservation and proper utilization of land in authorized
watersheds.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $175,000,000
for the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations Program.
The Committee recognizes the critical challenges facing
rural water resource management and protection and supports
needed investments in watershed operations. These Federal-
State-local partnerships are uniquely positioned to identify
critical watershed protection and flood prevention needs in
rural communities and implement projects that deliver multiple
streams of benefits for homes, businesses, transportation
infrastructure, and natural resources. In selecting projects
for funding, the Committee expects the agency to balance the
needs of addressing the project backlog, remediation of
existing structures, and new projects.
WATERSHED REHABILITATION PROGRAM
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $10,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................................
The Watershed Rehabilitation Program account provides for
technical and financial assistance to carry out rehabilitation
of structural measures, in accordance with section 14 of the
Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, approved August
4, 1954 (16 U.S.C. 1012, U.S.C. 1001, et seq.), as amended by
section 313 of Public Law 106-472, November 9, 2000, and by
section 2803 of Public Law 110-246.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee does not recommend an appropriation for the
Watershed Rehabilitation Program.
CORPORATIONS
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Fund
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $15,410,629,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 8,936,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 8,936,000,000
The Federal Crop Insurance Act, as amended by the Federal
Crop Insurance Reform Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-354),
authorizes the payment of expenses which may include indemnity
payments, loss adjustment, delivery expenses, program-related
research and development, startup costs for implementing this
legislation such as studies, pilot projects, data processing
improvements, public outreach, and related tasks and functions.
All program costs, except for Federal salaries and
expenses, are mandatory expenditures subject to appropriation.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of such sums as
may be necessary, estimated to be $8,936,000,000 in fiscal year
2020 for the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Fund.
Commodity Credit Corporation Fund
The Commodity Credit Corporation [CCC] is a wholly owned
Government corporation created in 1933 to stabilize, support,
and protect farm income and prices; to help maintain balanced
and adequate supplies of agricultural commodities, including
products, foods, feeds, and fibers; and to help in the orderly
distribution of these commodities. CCC was originally
incorporated under a Delaware charter and was reincorporated
June 30, 1948, as a Federal corporation within USDA by the
Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act, approved June 29,
1948 (Public Law 80-806).
The Commodity Credit Corporation engages in buying,
selling, lending, and other activities with respect to
agricultural commodities, their products, food, feed, and
fibers. Its purposes include stabilizing, supporting, and
protecting farm income and prices; maintaining the balance and
adequate supplies of selected commodities; and facilitating the
orderly distribution of such commodities. In addition, the
Corporation makes available materials and facilities required
in connection with the storage and distribution of such
commodities. The Corporation also disburses funds for sharing
of costs with producers for the establishment of approved
conservation practices on environmentally sensitive land and
subsequent rental payments for such land for the duration of
Conservation Reserve Program contracts.
Corporation activities are primarily governed by the
following statutes: the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter
Act (Public Law 80-806), as amended; the Agricultural Act of
1949 (Public Law 81-439), as amended (1949 Act); the
Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (Public Law 75-430), as
amended (the 1938 Act); the Food Security Act of 1985 (Public
Law 99-198), as amended (1985 Act); the Food, Conservation, and
Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-246); the Agricultural Act
of 2014 (Public Law 113-79); and the Agriculture Improvement
Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334).
Management of the Corporation is vested in a board of
directors, subject to the general supervision and direction of
the Secretary of Agriculture, who is an ex officio director and
chairman of the board. The board consists of seven members, in
addition to the Secretary, who are appointed by the President
of the United States with the advice and consent of the Senate.
Officers of the Corporation are designated according to their
positions in USDA.
The activities of the Corporation are carried out mainly by
the personnel and through the facilities of the Farm Service
Agency and FSA State and county committees. The Foreign
Agricultural Service, the General Sales Manager, other agencies
and offices of the Department, and commercial agents are also
used to carry out certain aspects of the Corporation's
activities.
Under Public Law 87-155 (15 U.S.C. 713a-11, 713a-12),
annual appropriations are authorized for each fiscal year,
commencing with fiscal year 1961. These appropriations are to
reimburse the Corporation for net realized losses.
REIMBURSEMENT FOR NET REALIZED LOSSES
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $15,410,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 25,553,096,000
Committee recommendation................................ 25,553,096,000
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of such sums as
may be necessary, estimated in fiscal year 2020 to be
$25,553,096,000, for the payment to reimburse the Commodity
Credit Corporation for net realized losses.
CRP Wetland Restoration and Wildlife Enhancement.--The
Committee notes that agricultural commodity crops, if left
unharvested, may help reduce degradation of wetlands and
improve sediment trapping, surface and ground water supply,
erosion control, and wildlife habitat while providing winter
food for waterfowl and other wildlife. The Committee directs
the Commodity Credit Corporation, within 60 days of enactment,
to amend its program policies and guidelines for CRP
conservation practices CP23 and CP23A, to provide that current
and future participants are permitted to plant--but not
harvest--agricultural commodity crops as wildlife food plots on
up to ten percent of the enrolled land to enhance waterfowl and
upland bird food and habitat.
HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT
(LIMITATION ON EXPENSES)
Limitation, 2019........................................ $5,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 5,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 5,000,000
The Commodity Credit Corporation's [CCC] hazardous waste
management program is intended to ensure compliance with the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act (Public Law 96-510) and the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act (Public Law 94-580). The CCC funds operations
and maintenance costs as well as site investigation and cleanup
expenses. Investigative and cleanup costs associated with the
management of CCC hazardous waste are also paid from USDA's
hazardous waste management appropriation.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends a limitation of $5,000,000 for the
Commodity Credit Corporation's hazardous waste management
program.
TITLE III
RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
The Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of
Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-354)
abolished the Farmers Home Administration, Rural Development
Administration, and Rural Electrification Administration and
replaced those agencies with the Rural Housing and Community
Development Service, (currently, the Rural Housing Service),
Rural Business and Cooperative Development Service (currently,
the Rural Business--Cooperative Service), and Rural Utilities
Service and placed them under the oversight of the Under
Secretary for Rural Economic and Community Development,
(currently, Rural Development). These agencies deliver a
variety of programs through a network of State and field
offices.
Office of the Under Secretary for Rural Development
Appropriations, 2019....................................................
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ $800,000
The Office of the Under Secretary for Rural Development
provides direction and coordination in carrying out laws with
respect to the Department's rural economic and community
development activities. The Office has oversight and management
responsibilities for the Rural Housing Service, Rural
Business--Cooperative Service, and the Rural Utilities Service.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $800,000 for
the Office of the Under Secretary for Rural Development.
Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels.--The Committee is
concerned with the interim rule proposed by the Department
under the Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels program
(section 9005 of Public Law 113-79), which is intended to
promote the development of different qualifying advanced fuel
categories. The Committee is concerned that the allocation
formula for distribution of section 9005 funds among the
qualified fuel categories is inequitable, disproportionate, and
inconsistent with the purpose and intent of the section 9005
program. The Committee urges the Department to administer the
section 9005 program in a way that is fuel and technology-
neutral. Consistent with these objectives, the Committee
directs USDA to propose amendments to the interim rule to
ensure that any final rule to implement section 9005 provides
for a more equitable and proportional allocation of funding
among the qualified advanced biofuels and the energy pathways
they represent.
RISE Grants.--The Committee recommendation includes
$5,000,000 in funding for the newly-authorized RISE grants
enacted as part of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018
(Public Law 115-334). These grants have the potential to help
struggling communities by funding jobs accelerators in low-
income rural areas. The Committee recommends funding be
prioritized for entities leveraging next generation gigabit
broadband service to promote entrepreneurship and entities
based in geographical areas with established agriculture and
technology sectors which are focused on the development of
precision and autonomous agriculture technologies as a way to
strengthen rural economies and create jobs.
Rural Development
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year
Fiscal year 2020 budget Committee
2019 enacted request recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation................................................ 236,835 192,343 242,005
Transfer from:
Rural Housing Insurance Fund Loan Program Account........ 412,254 244,249 412,254
Rural Electrification and Telecommunications Program 33,270 38,027 33,270
Account.................................................
Rural Development Loan Program Account................... 4,468 ............... 4,468
Community Facilities Program Account..................... ............... 147,591 ...............
Business and Industry Loan Program....................... ............... 7,035 ...............
Water and Waste Disposal Program Account................. ............... 18,149 ...............
--------------------------------------------------
Total, Rural Development salaries and expenses......... 686,827 647,394 691,997
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
These funds are used to administer the loan and grant
programs of the Rural Utilities Service, the Rural Housing
Service, and the Rural Business--Cooperative Service, including
reviewing applications, making and collecting loans and
providing technical assistance and guidance to borrowers; and
to assist in extending other Federal programs to people in
rural areas.
Under credit reform, administrative costs associated with
loan programs are appropriated to the program accounts.
Appropriations to the salaries and expenses account will be for
costs associated with grant programs.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends $691,997,000 for salaries and
expenses of Rural Development.
Rural Housing Service
The Rural Housing Service [RHS] was established under the
Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture
Reorganization Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-354).
RURAL HOUSING INSURANCE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2019 (budget authority)................. $510,317,000
Budget estimate, 2020 (budget authority)................ 244,249,000
Committee recommendation (budget authority)............. 538,783,000
This fund was established in 1965 (Public Law 89-117)
pursuant to section 517 of title V of the Housing Act of 1949
(Public Law 87-171). This fund may be used to insure or
guarantee rural housing loans for single-family homes, rental
and cooperative housing, farm labor housing, and rural housing
sites. Rural housing loans are made to construct, improve,
alter, repair, or replace dwellings and essential farm service
buildings that are modest in size, design, and cost. Rental
housing insured loans are made to individuals, corporations,
associations, trusts, or partnerships to provide low-cost
rental housing and related facilities in rural areas. These
loans are repayable in terms up to 30 years.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $538,783,000
for the Rural Housing Insurance Fund Program Account [RHIF].
The Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-508)
established the RHIF program account. Appropriations to this
account will be used to cover the lifetime subsidy costs
associated with the direct loans obligated and loan guarantees
committed in 2020, as well as for administrative expenses. The
following table presents the loan subsidy levels as compared to
the 2019 levels and the 2020 budget request:
RURAL HOUSING INSURANCE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year
Fiscal year 2020 budget Committee
2019 enacted request recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Loan Levels:
Single-Family Housing (sec. 502):
Direct............................................... 1,000,000 ............... 1,000,000
Guaranteed........................................... 24,000,000 24,000,000 24,000,000
Housing repair (sec. 504)................................ 28,000 ............... 28,000
Direct rental housing (sec. 515)......................... 40,000 ............... 40,000
Guaranteed rental housing (sec. 538)..................... 230,000 250,000 230,000
Site development loans (sec. 524)........................ 5,000 ............... 5,000
Credit sales of acquired property........................ 10,000 10,000 10,000
Self help land development loans (sec. 523).............. 5,000 ............... 5,000
Farm labor housing loans (sec. 514)...................... 27,500 ............... 27,500
--------------------------------------------------
Total, loan levels..................................... 25,345,500 24,260,000 25,345,500
==================================================
Loan Subsidies and Grants:
Single-Family Housing (sec. 502):
Direct............................................... 67,700 ............... 90,000
Housing repair (sec. 504)................................ 3,419 ............... 4,679
Direct rental housing (sec. 515)......................... 9,484 ............... 12,144
Site development (sec. 524).............................. 176 ............... 546
Self help land development (sec. 523).................... 431 ............... 577
Farm labor housing loans (sec. 514)...................... 6,853 ............... 8,583
Farm labor housing grants (sec. 516)..................... 10,000 ............... 10,000
--------------------------------------------------
Total, loan subsidies and grants....................... 98,063 ............... 126,529
==================================================
Administrative expenses...................................... 412,254 244,249 412,254
==================================================
Total, loan subsidies and administrative expenses...... 510,317 244,249 538,783
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Housing Preservation.--The Secretary is directed to develop
a biannual comprehensive multi-family housing preservation plan
describing how the Department intends to preserve all viable
Section 514 and 515 properties in the portfolio. This report
shall also include a comprehensive description of the decision-
making process, including any incentives offered, relating to
any Section 514 or 515 property that exited the Rural
Development portfolio during the preceding 24 months.
RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $1,331,400,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... *1,407,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 1,375,000,000
*The budget estimate includes $32,000,000 for housing vouchers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rental assistance is authorized under section 521(a)(2) of
the Housing Act of 1949 (Public Law 87-171). The objective of
the program is to reduce rents paid by low-income families
living in Rural Housing Service financed rental projects and
farm labor housing projects. Under this program, low-income
tenants will contribute the higher of: (1) 30 percent of
monthly adjusted income; (2) ten percent of monthly income; or
(3) designated housing payments from a welfare agency.
Payments from the fund are made to the project owner for
the difference between the tenant's payment and the approved
rental rate established for the unit.
The program is administered in tandem with the Rural
Housing Service section 515 rural rental housing program and
the farm labor loan and grant programs. Priority is given to
existing projects for units occupied by rent over-burdened low-
income families and projects experiencing financial
difficulties beyond the control of the owner.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,375,000,000
for the Rental Assistance Program.
Housing vouchers are addressed in the Multi-Family Housing
Revitalization Program Account.
Rental Assistance Priority.--The Secretary is encouraged to
prioritize multi-family housing properties acquired by means of
a section 515 loan within the current fiscal year when
determining current rental assistance needs.
MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING REVITALIZATION PROGRAM ACCOUNT
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $51,500,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 56,500,000
The Rural Housing Voucher Program was authorized under the
Housing Act of 1949 (Public Law 81-171) to assist very low
income families and individuals who reside in rental housing in
rural areas. Housing vouchers may be provided to residents of
rental housing projects financed by section 515 loans that have
been prepaid after September 30, 2005. Voucher amounts reflect
the difference between comparable market rents and tenant-paid
rent prior to loan prepayment. Vouchers allow tenants to remain
in existing projects or move to other rental housing.
The Multi-family Housing Revitalization Program includes
funding for housing vouchers and a demonstration program for
the preservation and revitalization of affordable multi-family
housing projects. Rural Development's multi-family housing
portfolio faces dual pressures for loan prepayments and repair/
rehabilitation stemming from inadequate reserves resulting in
deferred property maintenance.
Provisions of affordable rental housing can be accomplished
more economically by revitalizing existing housing stock rather
than funding new construction. The Multi-family Housing
Revitalization Program includes revitalization tools for
maintenance of existing units and vouchers to protect tenants
in those projects that prepay. Flexibility is provided to allow
Rural Development to utilize funding to meet the most urgent
local needs for tenant protection and project revitalization.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $56,500,000
for the Multi-family Housing Revitalization Program, including
$32,000,000 for vouchers and $24,500,000 for a housing
preservation demonstration program.
Multi-Family Housing Health and Safety Concerns.--The
Committee is concerned regarding sanitary and safety
deficiencies in rental facilities participating in the Multi-
Family Housing Program, such as those recently reported for
Okeechobee Center in Belle Glade, Florida. The Committee
believes such deficiencies are unacceptable and would be
documented and remediated more promptly with improved
inspections and coordination with state regulatory agencies. No
later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this act, the
Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee regarding the
status and findings of all inspections within the last 5 years
of properties that received financial assistance through the
Multi-Family Housing Program.
Multi-Family Housing Preservation.--The Committee directs
the Secretary to provide a report within 120 days of enactment
of this Act to estimate the cost of providing rural housing
vouchers to all low income households currently receiving USDA
rental assistance and residing in a property financed with a
Section 515 loan that are set to mature in the subsequent
fiscal year and subsequent ten fiscal years. In addition, the
Secretary is directed to provide quarterly reports to the
Committee on transfers between vouchers and the housing
preservation demonstration program within the Multi-Family
Housing Revitalization Program Account.
MUTUAL AND SELF-HELP HOUSING GRANTS
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $30,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 30,000,000
The Mutual and Self-Help Housing Grants Program is
authorized by title V of the Housing Act of 1949 (Public Law
81-171). Grants are made to local organizations to promote the
development of mutual or self-help programs under which groups
of usually six to ten families build their own homes by
mutually exchanging labor. Funds may be used to pay the cost of
construction supervisors who work with families in the
construction of their homes and for administrative expenses of
the organizations providing the self-help assistance.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $30,000,000
for Mutual and Self-Help Housing Grants.
RURAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE GRANTS
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $45,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 45,000,000
The Rural Housing Assistance Grants Program consolidates
funding for rural housing grant programs. This consolidation of
housing grant funding provides greater flexibility to tailor
financial assistance to applicant needs.
Very Low-Income Housing Repair Grants.--The Very Low-Income
Housing Repair Grants Program is authorized under section 504
of title V of the Housing Act of 1949 (Public Law 81-171). The
rural housing repair grant program is carried out by making
grants to very low-income families to make necessary repairs to
their homes in order to make such dwellings safe and sanitary,
and remove hazards to the health of the occupants, their
families, or the community.
These grants may be made to cover the cost of improvements
or additions, such as repairing roofs, providing toilet
facilities, providing a convenient and sanitary water supply,
supplying screens, repairing or providing structural supports
or making similar repairs, additions, or improvements,
including all preliminary and installation costs in obtaining
central water and sewer service. A grant can be made in
combination with a section 504 very low-income housing repair
loan.
No assistance can be extended to any one individual in the
form of a loan, grant, or combined loans and grants in excess
of $7,500, and grant assistance is limited to persons or
families headed by persons who are 62 years of age or older.
Supervisory and Technical Assistance Grants.--Supervisory
and technical assistance grants are made to public and private
nonprofit organizations for packaging loan applications for
housing assistance under sections 502, 504, 514/516, 515, and
533 of the Housing Act of 1949 (Public Law 81-171). The
assistance is directed to very low-income families in
underserved areas where at least 20 percent of the population
is below the poverty level and at least 10 percent or more of
the population resides in substandard housing. In fiscal year
1994, a Homebuyer Education Program was implemented under this
authority. This program provides low-income individuals and
families education and counseling on obtaining and/or
maintaining occupancy of adequate housing and supervised credit
assistance to become successful homeowners.
Compensation for Construction Defects.--Compensation for
construction defects provides funds for grants to eligible
section 502 borrowers to correct structural defects or to pay
claims of owners arising from such defects on a newly
constructed dwelling purchased with RHS financial assistance.
Claims are not paid until provisions under the builder's
warranty have been fully pursued. Requests for compensation for
construction defects must be made by the owner of the property
within 18 months after the date financial assistance was
granted.
Rural Housing Preservation Grants.--Rural housing
preservation grants (section 533) of the Housing and Urban-
Rural Recovery Act of 1983 (Public Law 98-181) authorizes the
Rural Housing Service to administer a program of home repair
directed at low- and very low-income people.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $45,000,000
for the Rural Housing Assistance Grants Program.
The following table compares the grant program levels
recommended by the Committee to the fiscal year 2019 levels and
the budget request:
RURAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE GRANTS
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year
Fiscal year 2020 budget Committee
2019 enacted request recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Very low-income housing repair grants........................ 30,000 ............... 30,000
Housing preservation grants.................................. 15,000 ............... 15,000
--------------------------------------------------
Total.................................................. 45,000 ............... 45,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Committee recommends that the Rural Housing Service
prioritize funding for communities with unique weather patterns
in need of replacing antiquated heating systems with more
efficient technologies.
Rural Community Facilities Program Account
(including transfers of funds)
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $50,063,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 207,591,000
Committee recommendation................................ 45,778,000
Community facility loans were created by the Rural
Development Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-419) to finance a
variety of rural community facilities. Loans are made to
organizations, including certain Indian tribes and corporations
not operated for profit and public and quasi-public agencies,
to construct, enlarge, extend, or otherwise improve community
facilities providing essential services to rural residents.
Such facilities include those providing or supporting overall
community development, such as fire and rescue services,
healthcare, transportation, traffic control, and community,
social, cultural, and recreational benefits. Loans are made for
facilities which primarily serve rural residents of open
country and rural towns and villages of not more than 20,000
people. Healthcare, fire and rescue facilities, and educational
facilities are the priorities of the program and receive the
majority of available funds.
The Community Facility Grant Program authorized in the
Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (Public
Law 104-127), is used in conjunction with the existing direct
and guaranteed loan programs for the development of community
facilities, such as hospitals, fire stations, and community
centers. Grants are targeted to the lowest income communities.
Communities that have lower population and income levels
receive a higher cost-share contribution through these grants,
to a maximum contribution of 75 percent of the cost of
developing the facility.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $45,778,000
for the Rural Community Facilities Program Account.
Rural Community Facilities Program Priorities.--The
Committee recognizes the important role that the Rural
Community Facilities program can play in addressing the
Nation's opioid epidemic. Community Facility programs have
previously supported efforts to address substance abuse
disorders through projects such as mobile treatment clinics and
telemedicine services. The Committee encourages the Secretary
to make funds available through the Rural Community Facilities
program to provide prevention, treatment, or recovery services
for individuals with substance abuse disorders.
The following table provides the Committee's
recommendations, as compared to the fiscal year 2019 and budget
request levels:
RURAL COMMUNITY FACILITIES PROGRAM ACCOUNT
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year
Fiscal year 2020 budget Committee
2019 enacted request recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Loan levels:
Community facilities direct loans........................ 2,800,000 2,500,000 2,800,000
Community facilities guaranteed loans.................... 148,287 500,000 500,000
--------------------------------------------------
Total loan levels...................................... 2,948,287 3,000,000 3,300,000
==================================================
Budget authority:
Community facilities guaranteed loans.................... 4,285 ............... ...............
Community facilities grants.............................. 30,000 50,000 30,000
Economic initiative grants............................... 5,778 ............... 5,778
Rural community development initiative................... 6,000 ............... 6,000
Tribal college grants.................................... 4,000 10,000 4,000
Rural Community Facilities Loan Program Account Transfer. ............... 147,591 ...............
--------------------------------------------------
Total budget authority................................. 50,063 207,591 45,778
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Community Facilities Program.--The Committee directs the
Secretary to report: the credit quality of loans identified by
North American Industry Classification System code; the impact
loans for each facility type have on the Community Facilities
loan subsidy rate; a list and description of all measures USDA
tracks to evaluate the effect of projects funded through
Community Facilities programs on local communities and for how
long these measures are tracked; a description and
documentation of the process by which the Department
prioritizes proposals for Direct and Guaranteed Loan and Grant
applications; and the number of Community Facilities projects
under which funding is being used to fulfill obligations to
bondholders, rather than to support construction, renovation,
capital improvement, or equipment purchasing.
Rural Freight Infrastructure.--The Committee notes that
Community Facility programs have supported efforts to sustain
and grow the export of U.S. agricultural products. Therefore,
the Committee encourages the Secretary to use existing
authorities to support projects and applicants that invest in
freight infrastructure necessary to get U.S. agricultural
products to market, including efforts to leverage funding with
other sources for inland ports and waterways.
Rural Business--Cooperative Service
The Rural Business--Cooperative Service [RBS] was
established by the Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department
of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-354),
dated October 13, 1994. Its programs were previously
administered by the Rural Development Administration, the Rural
Electrification Administration, and the Agricultural
Cooperative Service.
RURAL BUSINESS PROGRAM ACCOUNT
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $65,040,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 27,535,000
Committee recommendation................................ 65,475,000
The Rural Business and Industry Loan Program was created by
the Rural Development Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-419), and
finances a variety of rural industrial development loans. Loans
are made for rural industrialization and rural community
facilities under Rural Development Act amendments to the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932 et
seq.) authorities. Business and industrial loans are made to
public, private, or cooperative organizations organized for
profit, to certain Indian tribes, or to individuals for the
purpose of improving, developing or financing business,
industry, and employment or improving the economic and
environmental climate in rural areas. Such purposes include
financing business and industrial acquisition, construction,
enlargement, repair or modernization; financing the purchase
and development of land, easements, rights-of-way, buildings,
payment of startup costs; and supplying working capital.
Rural business development grants were authorized by the
Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79) and can be made to
governmental and nonprofit entities, and Indian tribes. Up to
10 percent of appropriated funds may be used to: identify and
analyze business opportunities; identify, train, and provide
technical assistance to existing or prospective rural
entrepreneurs and managers; assist in the establishment of new
rural businesses and the maintenance of existing businesses;
conduct economic development planning, coordination and
leadership development; and establish centers for training,
technology, and trade. The balance of appropriated funding may
be used for projects that support the development of business
enterprises that finance or facilitate the development of small
and emerging private business enterprise; the establishment,
expansion, and operation of rural distance learning networks;
the development of rural learning programs; and the provision
of technical assistance and training to rural communities for
the purpose of improving passenger transportation.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $65,475,000
for the Rural Business Program Account.
The following table provides the Committee's
recommendations, as compared to the fiscal year 2019 and budget
request levels:
RURAL BUSINESS PROGRAM ACCOUNT
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year
Fiscal year 2020 budget Committee
2019 enacted request recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Loan levels:
Business and industry guaranteed loans loan levels....... 950,000 1,000,000 950,000
Budget authority:
Business and industry guaranteed loans................... 22,040 20,500 19,475
Rural business development grants........................ 35,000 ............... 37,000
DRA, NBRC, and ARC....................................... 8,000 ............... 9,000
Business and Industry Loan Program Transfer.............. ............... 7,035 ...............
--------------------------------------------------
Total budget authority................................. 65,040 27,535 65,475
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regional Food Hubs.--The Committee encourages USDA to
partner with States and other interested partners to build and
refurbish food hub and food distribution centers that serve
rural farmers but are located in urban areas.
Rural Business Development Grants.--The Committee
recognizes the dynamic nature of our rural coastal economies
that are often economically diminished by the loss of natural
resource-related jobs and have been the first to feel the
negative effects of a changing climate. As these rural
communities continue to have agriculture-related economic
opportunity such as value-added seafood processing as well as
new opportunities, the Committee encourages the use of Rural
Business Development Grants in rural coastal communities to
support innovation and job growth within all sectors,
particularly in the case of public-private partnerships and
cross-jurisdictional efforts. In addition, the Secretary is
directed to give priority to National Scenic Areas that were
devastated by wildfires and are in need of economic development
assistance.
Rural Business Program Account.--The Committee recommends
$500,000 for transportation technical assistance.
The Committee directs that of the $4,000,000 recommended
for grants to benefit Federally Recognized Native American
Tribes, $250,000 shall be used to implement an American Indian
and Alaska Native passenger transportation development and
assistance initiative.
INTERMEDIARY RELENDING PROGRAM FUND ACCOUNT
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year 2019 Fiscal year 2020 Committee
enacted budget request recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated loan level...................................... 18,889 ................ 18,889
Direct loan subsidy....................................... 4,157 ................ 5,219
Administrative expenses................................... 4,468 ................ 4,468
-----------------------------------------------------
Total, loan subsidies and administrative expenses... 8,625 ................ 9,687
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The rural development intermediary relending loan program
was originally authorized by the Economic Opportunity Act of
1964 (Public Law 88-452). The making of rural development loans
by USDA was reauthorized by the Agricultural Act of 2014
(Public Law 113-79).
Loans are made to intermediary borrowers (small investment
groups) who in turn will reloan the funds to rural businesses,
community development corporations, private nonprofit
organizations, public agencies, et cetera, for the purpose of
improving business, industry, community facilities, and
employment opportunities and diversification of the economy in
rural areas.
The Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 (Public Law 74-605)
established the program account. Appropriations to this account
will be used to cover the lifetime subsidy costs associated
with the direct loans obligated in 2020, as well as for
administrative expenses.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $9,687,000 for
the Intermediary Relending Program Fund.
RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT
[In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated loan
level
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year 2019 level................................. 50,000
Fiscal year 2020 request............................... ...............
Committee recommendation............................... 50,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Rural Economic Development Loans program was
established by the Reconciliation Act of December 1987 (Public
Law 100-203), which amended the Rural Electrification Act of
1936 (Act of May 20, 1936), by establishing a new section 313.
This section of the Rural Electrification Act (7 U.S.C. 901)
established a cushion of credit payment program and created the
rural economic development subaccount. The Administrator of RUS
is authorized under the Act to utilize funds in this program to
provide zero interest loans to electric and telecommunications
borrowers for the purpose of promoting rural economic
development and job creation projects, including funding for
feasibility studies, startup costs, and other reasonable
expenses for the purpose of fostering rural economic
development.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a loan program level of
$50,000,000, to be funded from earnings on the Cushion of
Credit and fees on guaranteed underwriting loans made pursuant
to section 313A of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936.
RURAL COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $29,100,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 15,600,000
Rural cooperative development grants are authorized under
section 310B(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development
Act (Public Law 113-79), as amended. Grants are made to fund
the establishment and operation of centers for rural
cooperative development with the primary purpose of improving
economic conditions in rural areas. Grants may be made to
nonprofit institutions or institutions of higher education.
Grants may be used to pay up to 75 percent of the cost of the
project and associated administrative costs. The applicant must
contribute at least 25 percent from non-Federal sources, except
1994 institutions, which only need to provide 5 percent. Grants
are competitive and are awarded based on specific selection
criteria.
Cooperative research agreements are authorized by 7 U.S.C.
2204b. The funds are used for cooperative research agreements,
primarily with colleges and universities, on critical
operational, organizational, and structural issues facing
cooperatives.
Cooperative agreements are authorized under 7 U.S.C. 2201
to any qualified State departments of agriculture, university,
and other State entity to conduct research that will strengthen
and enhance the operations of agricultural marketing
cooperatives in rural areas.
The Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas [ATTRA]
program was first authorized by the Food Security Act of 1985
(Public Law 99-198). The program provides information and
technical assistance to agricultural producers to adopt
sustainable agricultural practices that are environmentally
friendly and lower production costs.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $15,600,000
for Rural Cooperative Development Grants.
Of the funds recommended, $2,800,000 is for the Appropriate
Technology Transfer for Rural Areas program.
The Committee has included language in the bill that not
more than $3,000,000 shall be made available to cooperatives or
associations of cooperatives whose primary focus is to provide
assistance to small, minority producers.
Agriculture Innovation Centers.--The Committee recommends
$3,000,000 for Agriculture Innovation Center funding, as
authorized in section 6402 of Public Law 107-171, available as
grants to States authorized to host, and that have previously
hosted, a USDA Agriculture Innovation Center and where the
State continues to demonstrate support and provide non-Federal
grant funding to producers developing, producing, and marketing
value-added agricultural and food products.
Rural Cooperative Development Grants.--The Committee
recognizes the important role that cooperatives play in the
Nation's rural economy and the continued need to fund
established and successful development centers throughout the
country.
Value-Added.--The Committee recognizes the important role
of value-added products within the U.S. agricultural sector and
notes that the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law
115-334) provides $17,500,000 in mandatory funding annually.
The Committee directs that Value-Added Agricultural Product
Market Development Grants be prioritized to support the
production of value-added agricultural products, including
organic hazelnuts, with significant potential to expand
production and processing in the United States.
RURAL ENERGY FOR AMERICA PROGRAM
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $334,500
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 706,000
The Rural Energy for America Program is authorized under
section 9007 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of
2002 (Public Law 107-171). This program may fund energy audits,
direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants to farmers, ranchers,
and small rural businesses for the purchase of renewable energy
systems and for energy efficiency improvements.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $706,000 for
the Rural Energy for America Program.
The following table provides the Committee's recommendation
as compared to the fiscal year 2019 and budget request levels:
RURAL ENERGY FOR AMERICA PROGRAM
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year
Fiscal year 2020 budget Committee
2019 enacted request recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated loan level............................................ $7,500,000 .............. $20,000,000
Guaranteed loan subsidy......................................... 334,500 .............. 706,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Biogas System Development.--The Secretary is encouraged, in
coordination with other Federal agencies, to support biogas
system development with financial and technical assistance
through existing energy programs and to prioritize the
collection and analysis of related environmental, technical,
and economic performance data.
Energy Efficiency Coordination.--The Committee directs
increased coordination and cooperation among USDA agencies and
offices to better utilize the energy efficiency and renewable
energy programs available through the Rural Energy for America
program. Additionally, no later than 120 days after enactment
of this act, USDA is directed to submit a report to the
Committee detailing how the agencies make information about its
energy programs accessible to rural communities and how funds
are being leveraged for energy efficiency investments in rural
areas.
Energy Storage Technologies.--The Secretary is directed to
clarify that energy storage technologies are eligible for Rural
Energy for America program funding.
Rural Utilities Service
The Rural Utilities Service [RUS] was established under the
Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture
Reorganization Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-354), October 13,
1994. RUS administers the electric and telephone programs of
the former Rural Electrification Administration and the water
and waste programs of the former Rural Development
Administration.
RURAL WATER AND WASTE DISPOSAL PROGRAM ACCOUNT
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $548,690,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 545,779,000
Committee recommendation................................ 484,980,000
The water and waste disposal program is authorized by
sections 306, 306A, 309A, 306C, 306D, 306E, and 310B of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (Public Law 87-
128). This program makes loans for water and waste development
costs. Development loans are made to associations, including
corporations operating on a nonprofit basis, municipalities,
and similar organizations, generally designated as public or
quasi-public agencies, that propose projects for the
development, storage, treatment, purification, and distribution
of domestic water or the collection, treatment, or disposal of
waste in rural areas. Such grants may not exceed 75 percent of
the development cost of the projects and can supplement other
funds borrowed or furnished by applicants to pay development
costs.
The solid waste grant program is authorized under section
310B(b) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act
(Public Law 87-128). Grants are made to public bodies and
private nonprofit organizations to provide technical assistance
to local and regional governments for the purpose of reducing
or eliminating pollution of water resources and for improving
the planning and management of solid waste disposal facilities.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $484,980,000
for the Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program Account.
The Committee recommends $68,000,000 for water and waste
disposal systems grants for Native Americans, including Native
Alaskans, and the Colonias. The Committee recognizes the
special needs and problems for delivery of basic services to
these populations and encourages the Secretary to distribute
these funds in line with the fiscal year 2014 distribution, to
the degree practicable. In addition, the Committee makes up to
$19,570,000 available for the circuit rider program.
The Committee is concerned about raw sewage discharge in
some rural communities in the Mid-South, particularly
historically impoverished communities that have had difficulty
utilizing Rural Development programs. The Committee is aware of
the unique challenges faced by these communities and directs
the Department to develop a pilot program to coordinate with a
regional university to solve untreated raw sewage issues with
innovative technologies and strategic management and regulatory
models. The pilot should address rural wastewater management
including: county needs assessments, testing wastewater
options, defining funding mechanisms for remediation and
developing regulatory guidance.
The following table provides the Committee's
recommendations, as compared to the fiscal year 2019 and budget
request levels:
RURAL WATER AND WASTE DISPOSAL PROGRAM ACCOUNT
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year 2019 Fiscal year 2020 Committee
enacted budget request recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Loan levels:
Water and waste disposal direct loans................. 1,400,000 1,200,000 1,400,000
Water and waste disposal guaranteed loans............. 50,000 ................ 50,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Total loan levels................................... 1,450,000 1,200,000 1,450,000
=====================================================
Budget authority:
Water and waste disposal direct loans................. ................ 54,720 63,840
Water and waste disposal guaranteed loans............. 190 ................ 70
Water and waste disposal grants....................... 400,000 324,917 272,000
Solid waste management grants......................... 4,000 4,000 4,000
Water well systems grants............................. 1,500 993 1,500
Colonias, AK and Native American grants............... 68,000 68,000 68,000
Water and waste water revolving funds................. 1,000 1,000 1,000
High energy cost grants............................... 10,000 ................ 10,000
Circuit rider......................................... 19,000 19,000 19,570
Emergency community water assistance grants........... 15,000 15,000 15,000
Technical assistance grants........................... 30,000 40,000 30,000
Water and Waste Disposal Program Account Transfer..... ................ 18,149 ................
-----------------------------------------------------
Total, budget authority............................. 548,690 545,779 484,980
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colonias.--The Committee recognizes the special needs and
problems for delivery of basic services to these populations
and urges the agency to coordinate with State and local
authorities, as well as contiguous local utilities located
outside of the unserved or underserved service area, to help
provide sustainable, essential water and/or waste water
services to these unserved or underserved areas.
Water and Waste Grants.--Section 761 of the bill includes
an additional $128,000,000 transfer for Water and Waste grants,
bringing the total for fiscal year 2020 to $400,000,000.
RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (Public Law 74-605)
provides the statutory authority for the electric and
telecommunications programs.
The Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-508)
established the program account. An appropriation to this
account will be used to cover the lifetime subsidy costs
associated with the direct loans obligated and loan guarantees
committed in fiscal year 2020, as well as for administrative
expenses.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The following table reflects the Committee's recommendation
for the Rural Electrification and Telecommunications Loans
Program Account, the loan subsidy and administrative expenses,
as compared to the fiscal year 2019 and budget request levels:
RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year
Fiscal year 2020 budget Committee
2019 enacted request recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Loan authorizations:
Electric:
Direct FFB........................................... 5,500,000 5,500,000 5,500,000
Guaranteed underwriting.............................. 750,000 ............... 750,000
Telecommunications:
Direct, Treasury Rate................................ 345,000 175,727 345,000
Direct, FFB.......................................... 345,000 514,273 345,000
--------------------------------------------------
Total loan authorization............................... 6,940,000 6,190,000 6,940,000
==================================================
Total budget authority................................. 34,995 39,960 37,065
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Loan Program
Oversight.--The Committee is concerned that the Energy
Efficiency and Conservation Loan Program does not yet have
performance measures in place, as highlighted by a 2016
Inspector General report. The Committee directs USDA to
institute such measures prior to awarding any additional
funding through the program, or no later than 180 days from
enactment of this act.
DISTANCE LEARNING, TELEMEDICINE, AND BROADBAND PROGRAM
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year
Fiscal year 2020 budget Committee
2019 enacted request recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Loan and grant levels:
Distance learning and Telemedicine Program:
Grants............................................... 34,000 43,600 34,000
Broadband program:
Treasury rate loans...................................... 29,851 (*) 29,851
Treasury rate loans budget authority..................... 5,830 (*) 5,340
Grants................................................... 30,000 30,000 30,000
--------------------------------------------------
Total DLT and Broadband Program level.................. 93,851 (*) 93,851
==================================================
Total DLT and Broadband Budget authority............... 69,830 273,600 69,340
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*$200 million in budget authority is requested to continue the broadband loan and grant pilot program created in
Sec. 779 of Public Law 115-141.
The Distance Learning, Telemedicine, and Broadband Program
is authorized by the Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade
Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-624), as amended by the Federal
Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-
127). This program provides incentives to improve the quality
of phone services, to provide access to advanced
telecommunications services and computer networks, and to
improve rural opportunities.
This program provides the facilities and equipment to link
rural education and medical facilities with more urban centers
and other facilities, providing rural residents access to
better healthcare through technology and increasing educational
opportunities for rural students. These funds are available for
loans and grants.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $69,340,000
for the Distance Learning, Telemedicine, and Broadband Program.
Funds recommended for the RUS broadband program are intended to
promote broadband availability in those areas where there is
not otherwise a business case for private investment in a
broadband network. The Committee encourages RUS to focus
expenditures on projects that bring broadband service to
currently unserved households.
The Committee recommendation includes $3,000,000 to address
critical healthcare needs, as authorized by section 379G of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (Public Law 115-
334).
Broadband Grants.--Of the funds recommended, $30,000,000 in
grants shall be made available to support broadband
transmission for rural areas.
Broadband on Tribal Lands.--The Committee notes its concern
that despite the great need for broadband deployment on tribal
lands, tribal entities serving these areas are historically
less likely to receive Federal grant and loan funding for the
projects when compared with their rural counterparts. The
Committee directs the Department to provide an accounting of
the number of funded projects that includes service on tribal
lands, the number of projects for tribal lands that were
proposed but unfunded, the number of workshops or events USDA
participated in to bring attention to this program, and any
other regulatory barriers that impede tribes from obtaining
funding.
High-Cost Universal Service Fund [USF] Recipients with
Minimum 25/3 Mbps Buildout Obligations.--The Committee directs
that funding for the Rural eConnectivity Pilot Program
(ReConnect) for service areas where High-Cost USF recipients
(including but not limited to CAF II, A-CAM, and CAF-BLS
recipients) have buildout obligations of 25/3 Mbps or greater
for fixed terrestrial broadband can only be requested by the
entity that is receiving such USF support, and project sponsors
that receive USF support in those areas may only apply for
funds that serve those areas from the 100 percent Loan funding
category under the ReConnect Program. For purposes of
clarification, this limitation on eligibility shall only apply
to those areas (e.g., study areas or census blocks) for which
the USF recipient is subject to a buildout obligation of 25/3
Mbps or greater for fixed terrestrial broadband.
Mountainous Terrain.--The Committee is concerned that
States with challenging mountainous terrain face higher costs
and other implementation problems when it comes to broadband
deployment. The Committee recognizes the importance of both the
ReConnect and Community Connect programs and their ability to
bring much-needed high speed broadband to remote rural
communities. The Committee urges the Secretary to prioritize
awarding funding to areas with mountainous terrain.
ReConnect Application Process.--The Committee understands
that many of the communities that need broadband deployment
funding the most have the fewest resources at their disposal to
research, review, and apply for that funding. The Committee
remains concerned about reports that the full application for
the fiscal year 2019 ReConnect pilot was not available online
until less than 40 days before the application deadline. In an
effort to ensure that all eligible applicants have an
opportunity to draft and submit a valid application, the
Committee directs the Secretary to make the full application
available on the ReConnect website no later than 90 days before
future application deadlines. Furthermore, the Secretary shall,
within the funds provided, leverage existing USDA resources and
utilize standing contract authorities to provide additional,
in-person support to ReConnect applicants upon request.
ReConnect Status.--The ReConnect broadband loan and grant
pilot program was established in the fiscal year 2018
Appropriations Act (Public Law 115-141) to expand broadband
service to rural areas without sufficient access to broadband.
To date, $1,550,000,000 has been appropriated to this pilot
program.
The Committee appreciates that the ReConnect Program was
recently launched and began accepting applications this year
for rural communities to build modern broadband infrastructure.
However, in order to ensure the program reaches the underserved
and unserved communities it is intended to serve, the Committee
directs the Secretary to complete a review of the ReConnect
Program within 6 months of announcing its first ReConnect
award. The review should include a list of the grant and loan
recipients and amounts awarded. It should also include an
assessment of the scoring criteria, including the median score
for all applicants, the criteria of areas where applicants were
least likely to receive full points, such as State broadband
plans and residential only applications, and suggestions for
modifications to the scoring criteria. The review should
consider challenges of accurate broadband speed maps self-
reported by Internet service providers (FCC Form 477 data),
including alternatives to relying on the Federal Communications
Commission [FCC] maps. The review should also detail the
Department's efforts to support the deployment of last-mile
broadband infrastructure and should address how additional ISPs
can apply for ReConnect funds in the 190,595 locations where
only one satellite broadband company has received CAFII
funding.
In addition, in order to ensure these investments are
maximized, the Committee reminds the Department to avoid
efforts that could duplicate existing networks built by private
investment or those built leveraging and utilizing other
Federal programs, and in this regard to coordinate the
activities of the Department with the National
Telecommunications Information Administration [NTIA] and the
FCC to ensure wherever possible that any funding provided to
support deployment of last-mile broadband infrastructure is
targeted to areas that are currently unserved. Further, the
Committee encourages the agency to prioritize projects financed
through public-private partnerships and projects where Federal
funding will not exceed 50 percent of the project's total cost.
Furthermore, the Committee is mindful of the unique
challenges of serving Alaska, which warrant special
consideration when providing funding for rural broadband. For
example, the nature of remote Alaskan villages defies
traditional notions of ``rural'' that are more common to the
lower 48 States. Therefore, the Committee urges the Rural
Utilities Service, in implementing the next round of the
ReConnect program, to examine these barriers to full
participation by all types of Alaskan providers and consider
ways that unserved parts of Alaska could receive the
substantial benefits of this program.
Rural in Character.--The Committee is concerned that the
current weighting scale for the ReConnect program disadvantages
rural households and communities that aren't necessarily
located on farms. In addition, the Committee is concerned that
providing preference to 100mbps symmetrical service also
unfairly disadvantages these communities by limiting the
deployment of other technologies capable of providing service
to these areas. Further, the Committee is concerned that the
current program does not effectively recognize the unique
challenges and opportunities that different technologies,
including satellite, provide to delivering broadband in
noncontiguous states or mountainous terrain.
RUS Grants and Loans for Open Access Infrastructure
Projects.--The Committee is aware that public entities have
invested in open access fiber infrastructure that is
facilitating the delivery of high-speed broadband services by
licensed telecommunications providers, including the model
pioneered by public port authorities. The Committee understands
that while particular open access fiber projects may be
eligible for RUS grants and loans, more generally, significant
barriers exist to government backing for these types of open
access investments. The Committee believes RUS programs should
support financially-feasible open access infrastructure
projects that meet program goals. The Committee urges RUS to
ensure the agency's criteria and application processes provide
for fair consideration of open access projects by accounting
for the unique structures and opportunities such projects
present in advancing broadband deployment in unserved and
underserved communities.
TITLE IV
DOMESTIC FOOD PROGRAMS
Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer
Services
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $800,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 800,000
Committee recommendation................................ 800,000
The Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and
Consumer Services provides direction and coordination in
carrying out the laws enacted by the Congress with respect to
the Department's nutrition assistance activities. The Office
has oversight and management responsibilities for the Food and
Nutrition Service (FNS).
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $800,000 for
the Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and
Consumer Services.
Evaluating Food Options and Standards in Retail Settings.--
The Committee understands that States implement and verify
product nutrition standards for eligibility for the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP] and the
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and
Children [WIC] through contracted in-store visits and reviews
of food products and labeling. The Committee is concerned that
such process may be inefficient and potentially limits the
eligibility of healthier food options, including organic, non-
processed, and ethnic choices. The Committee directs the
Government Accountability Office to review the current process
used by States and how such process may restrict the
eligibility of nutritious food options and to evaluate and
report on available technologies which may streamline the
process and improve the product label and standards analysis
for a wider variety of healthy food options within SNAP and
WIC.
Food Security in Frontier Communities.--The Committee
appreciates the intent of FNS to focus on implementing locally-
designed initiatives to increase food security in frontier
communities within its area of responsibility. Helping these
communities adapt to changing growing conditions and
subsistence food availability and to develop the capacity to
grow more food locally will improve their tenuous food security
and provide opportunities for economic development in extremely
low-income regions. The Committee therefore strongly encourages
FNS to continue to work closely with relevant stakeholders in
States with frontier communities to support activities and
policies that will result in increased food security. The
Committee directs FNS to collaborate with AMS in implementing
Micro-Grants for Food Security.
Nutrition Program Efficiency.--The Committee encourages the
Secretary to focus process and technology improvement grants
within FNS to expand public-private partnerships to increase
food security in a cost-efficient and accountable manner.
SNAP Eligibility.--The Committee is aware of proposed
changes to the SNAP program that could impact eligibility. In
conducting the regulatory impact analysis, the Committee
directs the Secretary to include the impact on children,
seniors, individuals with disabilities, and rural and poor
communities.
Unsweetened Naturally Flavored Water.--The Committee notes
that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found
that U.S. adolescents who drink less water tend to drink less
milk, eat fewer fruits and vegetables, drink more sugar-
sweetened beverages, eat more fast food, and get less physical
activity. Since school nutrition standards were last updated in
2012, numerous naturally flavored water options now exist that
that are free of any sweeteners as well as artificial colors
and flavors. Therefore, the Committee directs USDA to review
its standards with regard to water and revise them, if
appropriate, or allow schools to request waivers from the
current water standards.
Food and Nutrition Service
The Food and Nutrition Service represents an organizational
effort to eliminate hunger and malnutrition in this country.
Nutrition assistance programs provide access to a nutritionally
adequate diet for families and persons with low incomes and
encourage better eating patterns among the Nation's children.
These programs include:
Child Nutrition Programs.--The National School Lunch and
School Breakfast, Summer Food Service, and Child and Adult Care
Food programs provide funding to the States, Puerto Rico, the
Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam for use in serving
nutritious lunches and breakfasts to children attending schools
of high school grades and under, to children of preschool age
in child care centers, and to children in other institutions in
order to improve the health and well-being of the Nation's
children and broaden the markets for agricultural food
commodities. Through the Special Milk Program, assistance is
provided to the States for making reimbursement payments to
eligible schools and child care institutions which institute or
expand milk service in order to increase the consumption of
fluid milk by children. Funds for this program are provided by
direct appropriation and transfer from section 32.
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants,
and Children [WIC].--This program safeguards the health of
pregnant, postpartum, and breast-feeding women, and infants and
children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk because of
inadequate nutrition and income by providing supplemental
foods. The delivery of supplemental foods may be done through
health clinics, vouchers redeemable at retail food stores, or
other approved methods which a cooperating State health agency
may select. Funds for this program are provided by direct
appropriation.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.--This program
seeks to improve nutritional standards of needy persons and
families. Assistance is provided to eligible households to
enable them to obtain a better diet by increasing their food
purchasing capability, usually by furnishing benefits in the
form of electronic access to funds. The program also includes
Nutrition Assistance to Puerto Rico.
The program also includes the Food Distribution Program on
Indian Reservations, which provides nutritious agricultural
commodities to low-income persons living on or near Indian
reservations who choose not to participate in the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program.
Commodity Assistance Program [CAP].--This program provides
funding for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program [CSFP], the
Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, Disaster Assistance, Pacific
Island Assistance, and administrative expenses for TEFAP.
CSFP provides supplemental foods to low-income elderly
persons age 60 and over.
TEFAP provides commodities and grant funds to State
agencies to assist in the cost of storage and distribution of
donated commodities.
Nutritious agricultural commodities are provided to
residents of the Federated States of Micronesia and the
Marshall Islands. Cash assistance is provided to distributing
agencies to assist them in meeting administrative expenses
incurred. It also provides funding for use in non-
presidentially declared disasters and for FNS's administrative
costs in connection with relief for all disasters. Funds for
this program are provided by direct appropriation.
Nutrition Programs Administration.--Most salaries and
Federal operating expenses of FNS are funded from this account.
Also included is the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
[CNPP], which oversees improvements in and revisions to the
food guidance systems and serves as the focal point for
advancing and coordinating nutrition promotion and education
policy to improve the health of all Americans.
CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $23,140,781,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 23,943,216,000
Committee recommendation................................ 23,602,569,000
The Child Nutrition Programs, authorized by the Richard B.
Russell National School Lunch Act (Public Law 79-396) and the
Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-642), provide
Federal assistance to State agencies in the form of cash and
commodities for use in preparing and serving nutritious meals
to children while they are attending school, residing in
service institutions, or participating in other organized
activities away from home. The purpose of these programs is to
help maintain the health and proper physical development of
America's children. Milk is provided to children either free or
at a low cost, depending on their family income level. FNS
provides cash subsidies to States for administering the
programs and directly administers the program in the States
which choose not to do so. Grants are also made for nutritional
training and surveys and for State administrative expenses.
Under current law, most of these payments are made on the basis
of reimbursement rates established by law and applied to
lunches and breakfasts actually served by the States. The
reimbursement rates are adjusted annually to reflect changes in
the Consumer Price Index for food away from home.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends $23,602,569,000 for the Child
Nutrition Programs.
Crediting System.--The Committee recognizes that the
current crediting system used by FNS in administering the
School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program has not
been updated to keep pace with products in the marketplace.
Specifically, Greek yogurt receives the same protein crediting
as other products with less protein. The Committee directs the
Secretary to update the system of crediting high-protein yogurt
to accurately reflect scientifically demonstrated higher
protein content in strained yogurt.
Farm to School Program.--Successful implementation of Farm
to School programs requires broad-based knowledge of best
practices regarding coordination among farmers, processors,
distributers, students, teachers, dietary and food preparation
staff, and USDA professionals. Since the scope of some Farm to
School projects have expanded in recent years, the Secretary
may allow maximum grant amounts to increase to $250,000. Of the
grant funds provided, the Committee directs the Secretary to
use at least $150,000 to coordinate with established entities,
such as regional Farm to School institutes, for the creation
and dissemination of information on farm to school program
development and to provide practitioner education and training,
and ongoing school year coaching and technical assistance.
Lunch Shaming.--The Committee remains concerned with the
practice of lunch shaming, when students with unpaid school
meal fees are treated unfairly. The Committee directs the
Secretary to provide additional guidance to program operators
to address the ongoing issue of shaming school children for
unpaid school lunch fees, including identifying approaches that
protect children from public embarrassment; encouraging all
communications about unpaid school lunch fees be directed to
the parent or guardian, not the child; and encouraging schools
to take additional steps to ensure that all students who
qualify for free and reduced meals are efficiently enrolled to
receive them.
Pulse Crops.--The Committee recognizes the nutritional
value of pulse crops for children and encourages FNS to support
school food authorities in sourcing and serving pulse crops.
School Breakfast Commodities.--Of the $485,000,000
appropriated for Child Nutrition Programs Entitlement
Commodities under Section 714 of this Act, $20,000,000 shall be
proportionally offered to States based on the number of
breakfasts served in the preceding school year.
Summer EBT.--The Committee understands that Summer EBT has
been proven to lower food insecurity among children during the
summer months when school is not in session. The Committee is
displeased that the Secretary changed the methodology for
funding this program in fiscal year 2019. Therefore, the
Committee directs the Secretary to fund this program in fiscal
year 2020 in the same manner, including the same States and
tribal organizations, as it was funded in fiscal year 2018.
Summer Food Service Program.--The Committee recognizes that
in many rural and frontier areas of the country where homes are
widely scattered, children and youth are unable to access
congregate feeding sites that participate in the Summer Food
Service Program and that existing mobile food delivery efforts
are not able to meet the need. The Committee supports FNS
allowing State Agencies to enable Summer Food Service Program
service institutions that serve such areas where eligible
children and youth have barriers to access or limited access to
a congregate feeding site to use their customary reimbursement
payments to develop and implement innovative methods to deliver
or otherwise make available foods to eligible children and
youth by non-congregate means or in non-congregate settings. In
addition, the Committee requests USDA submit a report within 1
year of enactment describing how many Summer Food Service
Program grantees, in which States, put in place innovative
methods of food delivery by non-congregate means and in non-
congregate settings, what innovative methods were used, and how
many additional youth were served as a result.
The Committee's recommendation provides for the following
annual rates for the child nutrition programs.
TOTAL OBLIGATIONAL AUTHORITY
[In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee
Child nutrition programs recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
School Lunch Program................................... 12,507,478
School Breakfast Program............................... 4,831,384
Child and Adult Care Food Program...................... 3,835,706
Summer Food Service Program............................ 526,385
Special Milk Program................................... 7,064
State Administrative Expenses.......................... 314,922
Commodity Procurement.................................. 1,419,968
Team Nutrition/HUSSC/CMS............................... 12,475
Food Safety Education.................................. 2,929
Coordinated Review..................................... 10,000
Computer Support....................................... 12,124
Training and Technical Assistance...................... 33,935
CNP Studies and Evaluation............................. 14,999
Farm to School Team.................................... 3,997
Payment Accuracy....................................... 11,203
School Meal Equipment Grants........................... 30,000
Summer EBT Demonstration............................... 28,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Committee expects FNS to utilize the National Food
Service Management Institute to carry out the food safety
education program.
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN
[WIC]
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $6,075,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 5,750,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 6,000,000,000
The WIC program is authorized by section 17 of the Child
Nutrition Act of 1966. Its purpose is to safeguard the health
of pregnant, breast-feeding and postpartum women, and infants
and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk because of
inadequate nutrition and inadequate income.
The WIC program food packages are designed to provide foods
which studies have demonstrated are lacking in the diets of the
WIC program target population. The authorized supplemental
foods are iron-fortified breakfast cereal, fruit or vegetable
juice which contains vitamin C, dry beans, peas, and peanut
butter.
There are three general types of delivery systems for WIC
foods: (1) retail purchase in which participants obtain
supplemental foods through retail stores; (2) home delivery
systems in which food is delivered to the participant's home;
and (3) direct distribution systems in which participants pick
up food from a distribution outlet. The food is free of charge
to all participants.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $6,000,000,000
for the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants,
and Children [WIC].
The Committee recommendation fully funds estimated WIC
participation in fiscal year 2020. The Committee recommendation
includes $80,000,000 for breastfeeding support initiatives and
$14,000,000 for infrastructure.
WIC Food Package.--The Committee appreciates the work of
the National Academies of Science to review and make
recommendations for updating the WIC food packages to reflect
current science and cultural factors. The Committee notes,
however, that while all revised packages now allow some fish,
the amounts remain low compared to the recommendations of
authoritative agencies such as the World Health Organization
and in some cases, sporadic. The Committee strongly encourages
the Department to prioritize the health and cultural benefits
of fish consumption as regulations are revised to implement the
NAS recommendations and to increase the amount of healthful
fish above the amounts recommended by the NAS. The Committee
also strongly encourages the Department to allow States to
prioritize fish over legumes and peanut butter to respond to
the cultural preferences of WIC participants in States like
Alaska.
WIC Information Transparency.--In an effort to promote
competition and ensure transparency within the WIC bid process,
the Committee directs FNS to make all information pertaining to
State rebate bid solicitations available on a public website
within 1 week of the announcements. In addition, FNS shall
continue posting to a publicly accessible website any policy
document related to the WIC program, including, but not limited
to: instructions, memoranda, guidance, and response feedback
within 1 week of its release to WIC State administrators.
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $73,476,921,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 69,069,910,000
Committee recommendation................................ 69,163,287,000
SNAP attempts to alleviate hunger and malnutrition among
low-income persons by increasing their food purchasing power.
Eligible households receive SNAP benefits with which they can
purchase food through regular retail stores.
Other programs funded through SNAP include Nutrition
Assistance to Puerto Rico and American Samoa, the Food
Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, the Emergency Food
Assistance Program, and the Community Food Projects program.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is currently
in operation in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, the
Virgin Islands, and Guam. Participating households receive food
benefits, the value of which is determined by household size
and income. The cost of the benefits is paid by the Federal
Government. As required by law, FNS annually revises household
benefit allotments to reflect changes in the cost of the
thrifty food plan.
Administrative Costs.--All direct and indirect
administrative costs incurred for certification of households,
issuance of benefits, quality control, outreach, and fair
hearing efforts are shared by the Federal Government and the
States on a 50-50 basis.
State Antifraud Activities.--Under the provisions of the
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-246), States are
eligible to be reimbursed for 50 percent of the costs of their
fraud investigations and prosecutions.
States are required to implement an employment and training
program for the purpose of assisting members of households
participating in SNAP in gaining skills, training, or
experience that will increase their ability to obtain regular
employment. USDA has implemented a grant program to States to
assist them in providing employment and training services.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends $69,163,287,000 for the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Of the amount
recommended, $3,000,000,000 is made available as a contingency
reserve.
Within the funds provided, the Committee directs FNS to
initiate implementation of practices around electronic data
matching for income verification.
Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations [FDPIR]
Food Package.--The Committee commends the Department for
convening the FDPIR Food Package Review Work Group, which
includes tribal representatives and staff from FNS, to increase
the amount and variety of traditional foods included in FDPIR
food packages and to increase the amount of foods purchased
from American Indian and Alaska Native producers and
businesses. The Committee directs the Department to provide a
report detailing its plans to include a greater variety of
traditional foods as regular components of FDPIR food baskets;
its plans to identify additional Native American and Alaska
Native producers of traditional foods, including wild salmon,
caribou, reindeer, elk, and other foods; and its plans to
purchase additional traditional foods from a greater number of
indigenous producers and businesses.
Improving Accuracy in SNAP.--The Committee acknowledges the
importance of accuracy in the applicant certification process
for SNAP, as indicated by the enactment of related provisions
in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-
334). In implementing these new provisions, the Committee
encourages the Secretary to pursue the most cost-effective and
transparent means of providing State agencies access to
accurate commercial data.
SNAP Data Matching.--The Agriculture Improvement Act of
2018 (Public Law 115-334) amended Section 11 of the Food and
Nutrition Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-246) by requiring the
Secretary to establish an interstate data matching system to
prevent multiple issuances of SNAP benefits to an individual by
more than one State agency simultaneously. In implementing the
data matching system, the Committee encourages the Department
to engage partners that have extensive experience working with
State social service programs. The Committee encourages USDA to
establish an interagency working group with the Department of
Health and Human Services to explore expanding the scope of the
data matching program to prevent duplication and improve
program integrity across all of the means-tested programs that
assist low-income families.
SNAP Eligibility for College Students.--The Committee is
deeply concerned by the findings of the December 2018 GAO
report titled ``Food Insecurity--Better Information Could Help
Eligible College Students Access Federal Food Assistance
Benefits'' in which GAO found that students may be unaware or
misinformed about their potential eligibility for SNAP. GAO
found that FNS has not provided clear explanation to students
on SNAP eligibility requirements, easily accessible to students
and college officials and, as result, students experiencing
food insecurity may remain unaware that they could be eligible
for SNAP. Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary to
provide a report, within 90 days of enactment of this act, on
its current outreach efforts to colleges and their students on
potential eligibility. Further, the Department should
coordinate with the Department of Education to improve outreach
to eligible college students and report on its efforts within
180 days after enactment of this act.
SNAP Fraud.--A January 2017 OIG report entitled ``Detecting
Potential SNAP Trafficking Using Data Analysis'' found that FNS
lacked methods to reconcile data discrepancies across their
administration systems and that retailers were providing
benefits to individuals using fraudulent credentials. The
Committee directs FNS to provide an update on the
implementation of controls to address these problems, as well
as data demonstrating whether the controls have reduced error
rates.
State SNAP Implementation.--The Committee is concerned
about implementation of the SNAP program in certain States
where States are failing to meet the required deadlines for
processing applications. USDA is encouraged to work closely
with States to remedy program deficiency and be aggressive in
combating any falsification of SNAP implementation data.
COMMODITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $322,139,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 55,471,000
Committee recommendation................................ 344,248,000
The Commodity Assistance Program includes funding for the
Commodity Supplemental Food Program and funding to pay expenses
associated with the storage and distribution of commodities
through The Emergency Food Assistance Program.
The Commodity Supplemental Food Program [CSFP].--Authorized
by section 4(a) of the Agricultural and Consumer Protection Act
of 1973 (7 U.S.C. 612c note), as amended in 1981 by Public Law
97-98 and in 2014 by Public Law 113-79, this program provides
supplemental food to low-income senior citizens and in some
cases low-income infants and children up to age six, low-income
pregnant and postpartum women. The Agricultural Act of 2014
(Public Law 113-79) discontinued the admission of new pregnant
and postpartum women and children into the program. Those
already in the program can continue to receive assistance until
they are no longer eligible.
The foods for CSFP are provided by USDA for distribution
through State agencies. The authorized commodities include:
iron-fortified infant formula, rice cereal, cheese, canned
juice, evaporated milk and/or nonfat dry milk, canned
vegetables or fruits, canned meat or poultry, egg mix,
dehydrated potatoes, farina, and peanut butter and dry beans.
Elderly participants may receive all commodities except iron-
fortified infant formula and rice cereal.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program [TEFAP].--Authorized
by the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7501 et
seq.), as amended, the program provides nutrition assistance to
low-income people through prepared meals served on site and
through the distribution of commodities to low-income
households for home consumption. The commodities are provided
by USDA to State agencies for distribution through State-
established networks. State agencies make the commodities
available to local organizations, such as soup kitchens, food
pantries, food banks, and community action agencies, for their
use in providing nutrition assistance to those in need.
Funds are administered by FNS through grants to State
agencies which operate commodity distribution programs.
Allocation of the funds to States is based on a formula which
considers the States' unemployment rate and the number of
persons with income below the poverty level.
Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.--The Farmers' Market
Nutrition Program [FMNP] provides WIC or WIC-eligible
participants with coupons to purchase fresh, nutritious,
unprepared foods, such as fruits and vegetables, from farmers'
markets. This benefits both participants and local farmers by
increasing the awareness and use of farmers' markets by low-
income households.
Pacific Island and Disaster Assistance.--This program
provides funding for assistance to the nuclear-affected islands
in the form of commodities and administrative funds. It also
provides funding for use in non-presidentially declared
disasters and for FNS's administrative costs in connection with
relief for all disasters.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $344,248,000
for the Commodity Assistance Program. The Committee continues
to encourage the Department to distribute Commodity Assistance
Program funds equitably among the States, based on an
assessment of the needs and priorities of each State and the
State's preference to receive commodity allocations through
each of the programs funded under this account.
Commodity Supplemental Food Program.--The Committee
recommends $245,000,000 for the Commodity Supplemental Food
Program. This amount fully funds participation in fiscal year
2020.
Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.--The Committee is aware
that the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program provides fresh
fruits and vegetables to low-income mothers and children,
benefiting not only WIC participants, but local farmers as
well. Therefore, the Committee recommends $18,548,000 for the
Farmers' Market Nutrition Program and directs the Secretary to
obligate these funds within 45 days.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program.--The Agriculture
Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334) provides
$322,250,000 for TEFAP commodities to be purchased with
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funds. The Committee
recommendation includes $79,630,000 for TEFAP transportation,
storage, and program integrity. In addition, the Committee
recommendation grants the Secretary authority to transfer up to
an additional 10 percent from TEFAP commodities for this
purpose and urges the Secretary to use this authority.
The Committee encourages the Secretary to identify
opportunities for increasing the supply of TEFAP commodities in
the coming fiscal year through bonus and specialty crop
purchases. The Department shall make available to the States
domestically produced catfish fillets for distribution to local
agencies.
NUTRITION PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $164,688,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 152,041,000
Committee recommendation................................ 160,891,000
The Nutrition Programs Administration appropriation
provides for most of the Federal operating expenses of the Food
and Nutrition Service, which includes the Child Nutrition
Programs; Special Milk Program; WIC; SNAP; Nutrition Assistance
for Puerto Rico; the Commodity Assistance Program, including
the Commodity Supplemental Food Program and the Emergency Food
Assistance Program; and Farmers' Market Nutrition Program and
Pacific Island and Disaster Assistance.
The major objective of Nutrition Programs Administration is
to efficiently and effectively carry out the nutrition
assistance programs mandated by law. This is to be accomplished
by the following: (1) giving clear and consistent guidance and
supervision to State agencies and other cooperators; (2)
assisting the States and other cooperators by providing
program, managerial, financial, and other advice and expertise;
(3) measuring, reviewing, and analyzing the progress being made
toward achieving program objectives; and (4) carrying out
regular staff support functions.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $160,891,000
for Nutrition Programs Administration.
National Accuracy Clearinghouse.--The Committee recognizes
the importance of implementing the National Accuracy
Clearinghouse on a nationwide basis to prevent multiple
issuances of supplemental nutrition program benefits to an
individual by more than one State simultaneously. The Committee
provides $5,000,000 for the nationwide implementation of the
National Accuracy Clearinghouse, as described in Section 4011
of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-
334).
TITLE V
FOREIGN ASSISTANCE AND RELATED PROGRAMS
Office of the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural
Affairs
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $875,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 875,000
Committee recommendation................................ 875,000
The Office of the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign
Agricultural Affairs provides direction and coordination in
carrying out the laws enacted by the Congress with respect to
the Department's international affairs (except for foreign
economic development). The Office has oversight and management
responsibilities for the Foreign Agricultural Service.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriations of $875,000 for
the Office of the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign
Agricultural Affairs.
Food Chain Systems.--The Committee is aware that the lack
of comprehensive cold food chain systems is one of the main
causes of food loss and results in a significant percentage of
food spoilage from farm-to-market. Preventing food loss and
implementing a robust cold food chain results in substantial
benefits such as increased nutrition, a safer food supply,
greater economic opportunity, and increased resilience. In
order to maximize the benefit investment in the agricultural
productivity of the developing world, the Committee encourages
the Department to give strong consideration to the use of cold
chain technologies and include the development of appropriate
cooling technologies in programs, policies, and strategic plans
aimed at hunger prevention and food security in developing
agricultural markets.
OFFICE OF CODEX ALIMENTARIUS
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $3,976,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 4,775,000
Committee recommendation................................ 4,775,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $4,775,000 for
the Office of Codex Alimentarius. Funding was previously
provided through the Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Foreign Agricultural Service
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transfers from
Appropriations loan accounts Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2019......................................... 213,890 6,382 220,272
Budget estimate, 2020........................................ 192,824 6,063 198,887
Committee recommendation..................................... 217,920 6,063 223,983
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Foreign Agricultural Service [FAS] was established
March 10, 1953, by Secretary's Memorandum No. 1320, supplement
1. Public Law 83-690, approved August 28, 1954, transferred the
agricultural attaches from the Department of State to the
Foreign Agricultural Service.
The mission of FAS overseas is to represent U.S.
agricultural interests, to promote export of domestic farm
products, improve world trade conditions, and report on
agricultural production and trade in foreign countries. FAS
staff are stationed at 98 offices around the world where they
provide expertise in agricultural economics and marketing, as
well as provide attache services.
FAS carries out several export assistance programs to
counter the adverse effects of unfair trade practices by
competitors on U.S. agricultural trade. The Market Access
Program [MAP] conducts both generic and brand-identified
promotional programs in conjunction with nonprofit agricultural
associations and private firms financed through reimbursable
CCC payments.
The General Sales Manager was established pursuant to
section 5(f) of the charter of the Commodity Credit Corporation
and 15 U.S.C. 714-714p. The funds allocated to the General
Sales Manager are used for conducting the following programs:
(1) CCC Export Credit Guarantee Program (GSM-102), including
facilities financing guarantees; (2) Food for Peace; (3)
section 416b Overseas Donations Program; (4) Market Access
Program; and (5) programs authorized by the Commodity Credit
Corporation Charter Act including barter, export sales of most
CCC-owned commodities, export payments, and other programs as
assigned to encourage and enhance the export of U.S.
agricultural commodities.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends $223,983,000 for the Foreign
Agricultural Service, including a direct appropriation of
$217,920,000.
The Committee recommendation includes $900,000 for Capital
Security Cost Sharing; $1,600,000 for International Cooperative
Administrative Support Services; and $1,530,000 for pay costs
for Locally Engaged Staff.
Borlaug Fellows Program.--The Committee recommendation
includes $3,500,000 for the Borlaug International Agricultural
Science and Technology Fellows Program. This program provides
training for international scientists and policymakers from
selected developing countries. The fellows work closely with
U.S. specialists in their fields of expertise and apply that
knowledge in their home countries. The Committee recognizes the
importance of this program in helping developing countries
strengthen their agricultural practices and food security.
Cochran Fellowship Program.--The Committee recommendation
includes $6,500,000 for the Cochran Fellowship Program. The
Committee encourages the Secretary to continue to provide
additional support for the program through the Commodity Credit
Corporation Emerging Markets Program.
FOOD FOR PEACE TITLE I DIRECT CREDIT AND FOOD FOR PROGRESS PROGRAM
ACCOUNT
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $142,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 135,000
Committee recommendation................................ 142,000
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $142,000 for
administrative expenses to continue servicing existing Food for
Peace title I agreements.
FOOD FOR PEACE TITLE II GRANTS
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $1,500,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 1,716,000,000
Commodities Supplied in Connection With Dispositions Abroad
(Title II) (7 U.S.C. 1721-1726).--Commodities are supplied
without cost through foreign governments to combat malnutrition
and to meet famine and other emergency requirements.
Commodities are also supplied for nonemergencies through public
and private agencies, including intergovernmental
organizations. The CCC pays ocean freight on shipments under
this title and may also pay overland transportation costs to a
landlocked country, as well as internal distribution costs in
emergency situations. The funds appropriated for title II are
made available to private voluntary organizations and
cooperatives to assist these organizations in meeting
administrative and related costs.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,716,000,000
for Food for Peace title II grants.
MCGOVERN-DOLE INTERNATIONAL FOOD FOR EDUCATION AND CHILD NUTRITION
PROGRAM GRANTS
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $210,255,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 210,255,000
The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and
Child Nutrition Program helps support education, child
development, and food security for some of the world's poorest
children. The program provides for donations of U.S.
agricultural products, as well as financial and technical
assistance, for school feeding and maternal and child nutrition
projects in low-income, food-deficit countries that are
committed to universal education. Commodities made available
for donation through agreements with private voluntary
organizations, cooperatives, intergovernmental organizations,
and foreign governments may be donated for direct feeding or
for local sale to generate proceeds to support school feeding
and nutrition projects.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $210,255,000
for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and
Child Nutrition Program.
Local and Regional Procurement.--The Committee provides an
appropriation of $15,000,000 for efforts to build long-term
agriculture sustainability and establish a local investment in
school feeding programs. With direct U.S. commodity
contributions, projects supported by the McGovern-Dole Food for
Education Program have significantly improved the attendance,
nourishment, and learning capacity of school-aged children in
low-income countries throughout the impoverished world. New
funding authorities would enable school feeding programs to
proactively transition from direct commodity assistance to
locally sourced agriculture products. The Committee directs the
Secretary to conduct the Local and Regional Food Aid
Procurement Project Program in accordance with the priorities
of the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child
Nutrition Program.
COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION EXPORT (LOANS)
CREDIT GUARANTEE PROGRAM ACCOUNT
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
[In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guaranteed loan Administrative
levels expenses
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2019.................. 6,382 2,463
Budget estimate, 2020................. 6,063 318
Committee recommendation.............. 6,063 318
------------------------------------------------------------------------
In 1980, the CCC instituted the Export Credit Guarantee
Program (GSM-102) under its charter authority. With this
program, CCC guarantees, for a fee, payments due U.S. exporters
under deferred payment sales contracts (up to 36 months) for
defaults due to commercial as well as noncommercial risks. The
risk to CCC extends from the date of export to the end of the
deferred payment period covered in the export sales contract
and covers only that portion of the payments agreed to in the
assurance agreement. Operation of this program is based on
criteria which will assure that it is used only where it is
determined that it will develop new market opportunities and
maintain and expand existing world markets for U.S.
agricultural commodities. The program encourages U.S. financial
institutions to provide financing to those areas where the
institutions would be unwilling to provide financing in the
absence of the CCC guarantees. CCC also provides facilities
financing guarantees.
The Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 establishes the
program account. The subsidy costs of the CCC export guarantee
programs are exempt from the requirement of advance
appropriations of budget authority according to section
504(c)(2) of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, Public Law
101-508. Appropriations to this account will be used for
administrative expenses.
TITLE VI
RELATED AGENCY AND FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
Department of Health and Human Services
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
The Food and Drug Administration [FDA] is a scientific
regulatory agency whose mission is to promote and protect the
public health and safety of Americans. FDA's work is a blend of
science and law. The Food and Drug Administration Amendments
Act of 2007 [FDAAA] (Public Law 110-85) reaffirmed the
responsibilities of the FDA: to ensure safe and effective
products reach the market in a timely way, and to monitor
products for continued safety while they are in use. In
addition, FDA is entrusted with two critical functions in the
Nation's war on terrorism: preventing willful contamination of
all regulated products, including food, and improving the
availability of medications to prevent or treat injuries caused
by biological, chemical, radiological, or nuclear agents.
The FDA Foods program has the primary responsibility for
assuring that the food supply, quality of foods, food
ingredients, and dietary supplements are safe, sanitary,
nutritious, wholesome, and honestly labeled, and that cosmetic
products are safe and properly labeled. The variety and
complexity of the food supply has grown dramatically while new
and more complex safety issues, such as emerging microbial
pathogens, natural toxins, and technological innovations in
production and processing, have developed. This program plays a
major role in keeping the U.S. food supply among the safest in
the world.
In January 2011, the Food Safety Modernization Act (Public
Law 111-353) was signed into law. This law enables FDA to
better protect public health by strengthening the food safety
system. It enables FDA to focus more on preventing food safety
and feed problems rather than relying primarily on reacting to
problems after they occur. The law also provides FDA with new
enforcement authorities designed to achieve higher rates of
compliance with prevention- and risk-based food and feed safety
standards and to better respond to and contain problems when
they do occur. The law also gives FDA important new tools to
hold imported food and feed to the same standards as domestic
food and feed and directs FDA to build an integrated national
food safety system in partnership with State and local
authorities.
The FDA Drugs programs are comprised of four separate
areas, Human Drugs, Animal Drugs, Medical Devices and
Biologics. FDA is responsible for the lifecycle of products,
including premarket review and postmarket surveillance of human
and animal drugs, medical devices, and biological products to
ensure their safety and effectiveness. For Human Drugs this
includes assuring that all drug products used for the
prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease are safe and
effective. Additional procedures include reviewing and
evaluating investigational new drug applications; evaluation of
market applications for new and generic drugs, labeling and
composition of prescription and over-the-counter drugs;
monitoring the quality and safety of products manufactured in,
or imported into, the United States; and, regulating the
advertising and promotion of prescription drugs. The Animal
Drugs and Feeds program ensures only safe and effective
veterinary drugs, intended for the treatment and/or prevention
of diseases in animals and the improved production of food-
producing animals, are approved for marketing.
The FDA Biologics program assures that blood and blood
products, blood test kits, vaccines, and therapeutics are pure,
potent, safe, effective, and properly labeled. The program
inspects blood banks and blood processors; licenses and
inspects firms collecting human source plasma; evaluates and
licenses biologics manufacturing firms and products; lot
releases licensed products; and monitors adverse events
associated with vaccine immunization, blood products, and other
biologics.
The FDA Devices and Radiological program ensures the safety
and effectiveness of medical devices and eliminates unnecessary
human exposure to manmade radiation from medical, occupational,
and consumer products. In addition, the program enforces
quality standards under the Mammography Quality Standards Act
(Public Law 108-365). Medical devices include thousands of
products from thermometers and contact lenses to heart
pacemakers, hearing aids, and MRIs. Radiological products
include items such as microwave ovens and video display
terminals.
FDA's National Center for Toxicological Research in
Jefferson, Arkansas, serves as a specialized resource,
conducting peer-review scientific research that provides the
basis for FDA to make sound science-based regulatory decisions
through its premarket review and postmarket surveillance. The
research is designed to define and understand the biological
mechanisms of action underlying the toxicity of products and
lead to developing methods to improve assessment of human
exposure, susceptibility, and risk of those products regulated
by FDA.
In 2009, Congress granted FDA new authority to regulate the
manufacture, distribution, and marketing of tobacco products.
FDA exercises this responsibility by protecting the public
health from the health effects of tobacco, setting scientific
standards and standards for tobacco product review, conducting
compliance activities to enforce its authority over tobacco,
and conducting public education and outreach about the health
effects of tobacco products.
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
[In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation User fees Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2019......... 3,068,678 2,516,287 5,584,965
Budget estimate, 2020........ 3,239,524 2,594,418 5,833,942
Committee recommendation..... 3,148,678 2,612,764 5,761,442
------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $3,148,678,000
for FDA salaries and expenses. The Committee also recommends
$2,612,764,000 in definite user fees, including: $1,074,714,000
in Prescription Drug user fee collections; $220,142,000 in
Medical Device user fee collections; and $30,611,000,000 in
Animal Drug user fee collections; $20,151,000 in Animal Generic
Drug user fee collections; $712,000,000 in Tobacco Product user
fee collections; $513,223,000 in Generic Drug user fee
collections; and $41,923,000 in Biosimilar user fee
collections. The Committee also recommends $60,676,000 in
permanent, indefinite user fees, including: $5,515,000 in
Voluntary Qualified Importer Program collections; $1,492,000 in
food and feed recall collections; $6,673,000 in food
reinspection collections; $21,351,000 in Mammography Quality
Standards fee collections; $10,534,000 in color certification
collections; $7,997,000 in Pediatric Disease Priority Review
Voucher collections; $742,000 in third-party auditor
collections; $1,676,000 in outsourcing facility collections;
and $4,696,000 in export and certification fees, as assumed in
the President's budget. The Committee recommendation includes
bill language which prohibits FDA from developing,
establishing, or operating any program of user fees authorized
by 31 U.S.C. 9701. The Committee recommendation does not
include proposed user fees for food facility registration and
inspection, food import, food contact substance notification,
cosmetics, and international courier imports. None of these
user fee proposals have been authorized by Congress. The
Committee will continue to monitor any action by the
appropriate authorizing Committees regarding these proposed
user fees.
The Committee expects the FDA to continue all projects,
activities, laboratories, and programs as included in fiscal
year 2019 unless otherwise specified. The Committee does not
support $3,500,000 of the proposed reductions; however, it does
accept a $3,000,000 reduction for consumer education and
outreach regarding agricultural biotechnology.
The Committee recommendation includes a net increase of
$80,000,000 for medical product and food safety activities
requested in the budget. Included in this funding is $8,000,000
for opioid prevention activities; $7,000,000 for Medical
Countermeasures Initiatives; $10,000,000 for Integrated
Pathogen Reduction of the Blood Supply; $6,000,000 for
Compounding; $4,000,000 for New Medical Device Enterprise;
$4,000,000 for Medical Device/Cyber Review; $2,000,000 for
MedTech Manufacturing; $1,000,000 for Lab Science; $7,000,000
for Advancing FSMA; $8,000,000 for Food Outbreaks; $5,000,000
for Animal Feed Ingredient Review; $1,000,000 for Seafood
Inspections; $3,000,000 for Dietary Supplements; $2,000,000
Cannabidiol [CBD] activities; and $15,000,000 for
infrastructure improvements.
In fiscal year 2019, the FDA received significant increases
for medical product safety activities, including funding for
the following initiatives: Promote Domestic Manufacturing, New
Platform for Drug Development, Modernizing Generic Drug
Development and Review, and Investment and Innovation for Rare
Diseases. The Committee supports these activities and directs
the FDA to report back on how these increases have been
utilized and recommendations on future needs.
The following table reflects the Committee's
recommendations, as compared to the fiscal year 2019 and budget
request levels:
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION SALARIES AND EXPENSES
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year
Fiscal year 2020 budget Committee
2019 enacted request recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Centers and related field activities:
Foods.................................................... 1,059,980 1,084,636 1,081,356
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition [CFSAN]. 327,962 334,712 335,966
Field Activities..................................... 732,018 749,924 745,390
Human Drugs.............................................. 662,907 713,895 678,295
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research [CDER]....... 524,738 551,084 517,040
Field Activities..................................... 138,169 162,811 161,255
Biologics................................................ 240,138 262,138 252,138
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research [CBER].. 198,132 220,132 210,132
Field Activities..................................... 42,006 42,006 42,006
Animal Drugs............................................. 178,934 192,314 194,094
Center for Veterinary Medicine [CVM]................. 113,419 121,199 125,324
Field Activities..................................... 65,515 71,115 68,770
Medical and radiological devices......................... 386,743 423,893 393,893
Center for Devices and Radiological Health........... 301,738 338,888 308,888
Field Activities..................................... 85,005 85,005 85,005
National Center for Toxicological Research............... 66,712 66,512 66,712
Other Activities............................................. 188,069 180,195 181,995
Rent and related activities.................................. 114,987 144,371 129,322
Rental Payments to GSA....................................... 170,208 171,570 170,873
--------------------------------------------------
Total, FDA salaries and expenses, new budget authority. 3,068,678 3,239,524 3,148,678
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Autoantibody Qualification.--The appearance of certain
islet autoantibodies in the serum of individuals increases the
chance of developing type 1 diabetes at some point in the
future. Therefore, the Committee encourages the FDA to work
with the Type 1 diabetes community on the assessment of
potential diabetes biomarkers related to islet autoimmunity,
which might help inform the design of clinical studies.
Botanical Dietary Supplements.--The Committee encourages
FDA to continue to invest in the science base for regulatory
decisions on botanical dietary supplements. Expanding outreach
and broadening safety evaluations of botanical supplements will
help further that work. Studies of the interactions between
botanical supplements and prescription drugs would help further
patient safety and help inform the FDA's scientific review of
botanical dietary supplements.
Cancer Immunotherapy Clinical Trials.--The Committee
commends the FDA for its recent efforts to accelerate the
review and approval of immune-oncology therapies that safely
and meaningfully improve the lives of patients with cancer.
With thousands of immuno-oncology clinical trials currently
underway or in development, understanding how to make
comparisons across studies and identify the highest priority
treatments is becoming increasingly important, especially when
evaluating early clinical data. The Committee understands that
early endpoints commonly used to evaluate standard cancer
treatments may not always be appropriate for predicting overall
survival outcomes from cancer immunotherapy treatments.
Therefore, the Committee urges the FDA to work with the
research community and the pharmaceutical industry to develop
surrogate endpoints for cancer immunotherapy treatments that
can be standardized and recognized by the entire drug
development community as avenues toward regulatory approval.
Cannabidiol [CBD].--As previously noted, the Committee
provides the FDA with $2,000,000 for research, policy
evaluation, market surveillance, issuance of an enforcement
discretion policy, and appropriate regulatory activities with
respect to products under the jurisdiction of the FDA which
contain CBD and meet the definition of hemp, as set forth in
section 297A of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7
U.S.C. 1639o). Within 90 days of enactment of this act, the FDA
shall provide the Committee with a report regarding the
agency's progress toward obtaining and analyzing data to help
determine a policy of enforcement discretion and the process in
which CBD meeting the definition of hemp will be evaluated for
use in products. Within 120 days of enactment of this act, the
FDA shall issue a policy of enforcement discretion with regard
to certain products containing CBD meeting the definition of
hemp as defined by section 297A of the Agricultural Marketing
Act of 1964 (7 U.S.C. 1639). Such enforcement discretion shall
be in effect until the FDA establishes a process for
stakeholders to notify the FDA for use of CBD in products that
include safety studies for intended use per product and makes a
determination about such product. The FDA is encouraged to
consider existing and ongoing medical research related to CBD
that is being undertaken pursuant to an Investigation New Drug
[IND] application in the development of a regulatory pathway
for CBD in products under the jurisdiction of the FDA and to
ensure that any future regulatory activity does not discourage
the development of new drugs.
Canned Tuna.--The Committee is concerned that the FDA has
not revised the standard of identity for canned tuna to adopt
the drained weight fill of container standard, despite requests
in the 1994 ``Citizens Petition to Amend Canned Tuna Standard
of Identity, 21 CFR 161.190,'' Docket No. 94P-0286, H. Rept.
113-116'', ``Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug
Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill,
2014,'' and an updated 2015 ``Citizen Petition from Bumble Bee
Foods, LLC, et al.'' Docket No. FDA-2016-P-0147. According to
the Congressional Research Service, the United States is the
only country that uses the pressed cake weight fill of
container standard that requires outdated 1950s technology. The
Codex Alimentarius Commission, the Association of Official
Analytical Chemists, and all other countries use the drained
weight fill of container. The FDA is directed to provide an
update on the status of its review of the citizen petitions
related to the standard of identity for canned tuna within 90
days. Until a determination on updating the standard of
identity for canned tuna is made, the FDA shall, to the extent
consistent with applicable regulations, continue to approve in
a timely manner temporary marketing permits that adopt the
drained weight method consistent with international standards
and to approve in a timely manner updates to product labeling
under existing temporary marketing permits.
Centers for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Centers of
Excellence.--The Committee is aware of the important
contribution of the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied
Nutrition's Centers of Excellence [COEs] program in supporting
critical basic research as well as facilitating the
implementation of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act [FSMA].
The Committee encourages the agency to continue to fully
utilize the COEs to accomplish these goals, and instructs that
it enhance its level of support for FDA FSMA activities.
Clinical Trials.--The Committee acknowledges the
responsibilities of FDA to protect public health and advance
medical innovation and encourages FDA to continue its efforts
to improve the effectiveness of the clinical trial process. The
Committee is encouraged by the development of novel digital
technologies to facilitate the use of virtual clinical trials
that would make it easier for patients to participate in trials
regardless of where they live. Through telemedicine, connected
sensors, patient engagement applications, and direct data
capture tools, virtual trials are conducted geographically near
the patient. Direct contact with the patient is still
maintained remotely, but reducing or eliminating on-site visits
has the potential to increase patient convenience and lower
study costs. The Committee recommends that the FDA develop the
necessary framework to advance the use of virtual trials while
still maintaining quality data necessary for FDA approval. The
FDA shall report to the Committee on their activities to
advance digital technologies and the impact on patient access
to clinical trials.
Corneal Crosslinking.--The Committee applauds FDA for
placing unapproved drugs intended for corneal crosslinking on
the agency's Red List in November 2018. The Committee is aware
that medical devices for the treatment of keratoconus are still
being sold to U.S. physicians by multiple manufacturers for use
in human patients without an Investigational Device Exemption
[IDE] and Premarket Approval [PMA] . The Committee is concerned
that, while there is an FDA-approved treatment available, as
many as 25 percent of all patients receiving corneal
crosslinking procedures are put at risk by these non-approved
devices. The Committee encourages the FDA to investigate the
manufacturers of these non-FDA approved devices, with specific
regard to their marketing practices and medical claims, and to
take action to prohibit the utilization of non-FDA approved
devices for corneal crosslinking procedures.
Deemed Biological Products.--The Committee is concerned
that the FDA's interpretation of the Biologics Price
Competition and Innovation Act [BPCIA] related to the
transition of biological products to the biologic product
regulatory review pathway will result in delayed access to
lower-cost biosimilar products, including insulin. Further, the
Committee is concerned that the FDA's interpretation and
guidance related to this transition will create a scenario
where sponsors of applications for biological products
submitted as a new drug application under section 505 of the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Public Law 75-717) that
have not received final approval before March 23, 2020 would
have to resubmit the application as a biological license
application under the biologic product review pathway created
under the BPCIA. This could have significant public health
consequences and delay access to lower-cost biosimilar
products, such as insulin, for millions of Americans. To
address these concerns and ensure patients' access to lower-
cost biosimilar drugs, such as insulin, the Committee directs
the FDA to undertake the following measures: (1) ensure final
review of all such pending applications for biological products
to be deemed a licensed biological product pursuant to the
BPCIA are completed prior to March 23, 2020; (2) provide that
applications submitted under section 505 of the Federal Food,
Drug, and Cosmetic Act, but did not receive a complete review
prior to March 23, 2020, receive priority review under section
351 of the Public Health Service Act (Public Law 78-410) and
are allowed to rely on FDA's prior review and any data
submitted under the new drug application submitted pursuant to
section 505 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Public
Law 75-717); and (3) provide flexibility in deeming follow-on
insulin products to be biological products or biosimilar
biologic products after March 23, 2020.
Dietary Supplements.--As previously noted, the Committee
provides an additional $3,000,000 for the Office of Dietary
Supplements programs. The Committee applauds the FDA's
inspection of and enforcement actions against manufacturers of
dietary supplement products that are adulterated or misbranded
but recognizes that more resources are needed to oversee
products that are contaminated, either intentionally or
unintentionally, with unsafe ingredients. The Committee has
been pleased with ongoing interagency collaborations and urges
the FDA to continue working with the Department of Justice to
remove illegal dietary supplements from the market. The
Committee directs these increased resources toward enforcement
of DSHEA, including inspection and enforcement activities. The
FDA shall report to the Committee explaining how the agency
carries out risk-based enforcement of dietary supplement
product manufacturers and the resources it uses for these
activities.
Electrical Stimulation Devices.--The Committee remains
concerned about the FDA's delay in promulgating Federal
regulations prohibiting the use of electrical stimulation
devices against persons with Intellectual and Developmental
Disabilities. The Committee encourages the FDA to expeditiously
issue the final rule and provide to the Senate Appropriations
Committee an update on the rule within 45 days of enactment of
this act.
Food Contact Notification User Fees.--The Committee
recommendation does not include proposed user fees.
Food Mislabeling.--The Committee is concerned about the
proliferation of products marketed and labeled with names that
include the names of dairy products that do not contain milk or
ingredients derived from milk and the lack of clear labeling of
these products. The Committee directs the agency to implement
an updated approach and report to the Committee on steps taken
to enforce against dairy imitation products marketed using
dairy names.
Food Safety Block Chain Testbed.--The Committee supports
FDA sponsorship of a food safety block chain testbed, in a
partnership with food safety elements of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] and USDA, to enable
voluntary sharing of information from existing commercial food
safety block chain systems with regulatory agencies. The
Committee notes that multiple food retailers and distributors
have adopted private block chain-based systems to more
effectively manage their supply chains. These types of systems
could significantly streamline and reduce the cost of
coordination between supply chain participants and regulators,
as well as accelerate food safety trace back investigations.
The Committee directs the FDA to report on the progress of this
effort within 180 days of enactment of this act.
Food Safety Mission.--The Committee is concerned that the
FDA is implementing a one-size-fits-all regulatory framework
for our diverse food productions systems. FSMA emphasized the
need for risk-based, flexible, and science-based regulations to
fit varying business models and food production practices. The
main focus of the FDA should be to prevent and, if necessary,
communicate and mitigate, the roughly 48 million foodborne
illnesses each year, not limit consumer choices. The FDA must
report to the Committee metrics by which it measures any
reductions in foodborne illnesses that have been found since
FSMA was signed into law and how the FDA takes into account
additional awareness of foodborne illnesses through new
technology, such as whole genome sequencing. The Committee
directs the FDA to report to the Committee all activities and
resources for the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
that are not spent on implementing food safety programs and on
preventing foodborne illnesses.
Foreign High Risk Inspections.--The Committee has provided
robust funding for this initiative over the last several years
and directs the FDA to provide an update on these efforts,
including estimated efficiencies and concerns, and plans to
continue or expand this effort in the future.
FSMA Clarification for Small Farms.--The Committee directs
the FDA to continue working with small farms to clarify
requirements for FSMA compliance, including information on the
qualified exemptions available to small and very small farms
and the actions required to achieve compliance under these
exemptions. The Committee also urges the FDA to communicate,
including through appropriate guidance, offer technical
assistance, and provide other resources to assist small farms
with compliance.
FSMA Cooperative Agreements.--The Committee is aware that
some States that have entered into cooperative agreements under
the State Produce Implementation Cooperative Agreement Program
to provide education, outreach, and technical assistance have
or are considering changing the State agency responsible for
implementing these agreements. The FDA is directed to work with
any State that designates a new implementing agency to ensure
it can continue to receive funding under existing cooperative
agreements without delay or loss of funding.
Human Drug Review Committee.--The Committee encourages the
FDA to fully utilize its authorities under 18 U.S.C. 208(b)(3)
to include no less than two members with an expertise in the
indication for which the drug is meant to treat on each
Advisory Committee when that Committee is reviewing a drug that
has been designated as an Orphan Drug.
Import Officer Staffing Review.--The Committee recognizes
the importance of ensuring that imports of agricultural
products are inspected in a timely and efficient manner. The
FDA plays a critical role in helping to safeguard the U.S. food
supply, and agricultural import inspections are an important
component of achieving the FDA's safety mission. The Committee
is aware that agricultural import shipments can be delayed due
to staffing challenges, including limited hours, at ports of
entry. The Committee encourages the FDA to review its existing
import office hours and subsequently provide Congress an update
should the agency determine that additional resources are
necessary to ensure timely inspection of agricultural imports
arriving at ports of entry.
Improving Import Review.--The Committee directs the FDA to
report how the agency is monitoring the impact of the
reorganization under Program Alignment and whether such
reorganization has improved the consistency of facility
inspections.
Innovative Glass Packaging.--The Committee directs the FDA
to work with glass packaging suppliers and pharmaceutical
manufacturers to evaluate and promote streamlined approval
requirements designed to expedite the adoption and use of
innovative glass packaging technologies with the capacity to
improve product quality, reduce product recalls, reduce drug
shortages, and protect public health. Such streamlined approval
requirements should address stability testing and other
relevant types of data to be submitted in support of product
approval.
Intentional Adulteration.--The Committee supports the
important role of food defense plans to protect the food supply
from acts intended to cause wide-scale harm to public health.
The Committee encourages the FDA to continue to work with
industry to make Intentional Adulteration [IA] rule
implementation as practical and flexible as possible, while
also protecting public health through compliance with IA rule
requirements.
Medical Gas.--The Committee is pleased that the FDA has
convened three public meetings with stakeholders and announced
in the Unified Agenda that it intended to issue a proposed rule
on medical gases by April 2019. However, the Committee is
concerned that the FDA originally committed to issue separate
regulations for medical gases in 1978 and has missed the
statutory deadlines for medical gas rulemaking in section 1112
of Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act
[FDASIA] (Public Law 112-144) and section 756 of the Fiscal
Year 2017 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Public Law 115-31).
The Committee believes that now is the appropriate time to
complete that commitment for a separate section of regulations
for medical gases. Therefore, the Committee directs the FDA to
issue final regulations required by the Fiscal Year 2017
Consolidated Appropriations Act no later than December 31,
2019.
Modeling and Simulation in Clinical Trials.--The Committee
commends the FDA for its continued support for and use of
computer enabled in silico modeling and simulation in clinical
trials and for its close affiliation with academic
institutional leaders in this field. Partnership in this
endeavor allows the development of personalized medical
interventions, optimizes the regulatory process, and bridges
gaps in the current regulatory infrastructure, which may
advance the availability of new generic drugs, biological
products, and devices to market at a potentially reduced cost.
The Committee directs the FDA to further invest in advancing
these applications and deepening its academic affiliations to
this end.
Nanotechnology.--The Committee recognizes the increased
capabilities that the FDA has developed to study environment,
health, and safety of nanomaterials within FDA's Jefferson
Laboratory Campus, including the National Center for
Toxicological Research and its consolidated headquarters at
White Oak, Maryland. The Committee expects the FDA to continue
to support collaborative research with universities and
industry on the toxicology of nanotechnology products and
processes in accordance with the National Nanotechnology
Initiative Environment, Health, and Safety Research Strategy as
updated in October 2011.
National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System
[NARMS].--The Committee recommendation includes $11,300,000 for
the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System. The
Committee directs that no less than $500,000 shall be used to
conduct one or more pilot studies to assess types and levels of
antibiotic resistance in zoonotic bacteria on food products of
species not currently tested by NARMS, such as imported
seafood.
National Toxicology Program.--The Committee requests a
report describing how the agency will make use of the
integrated Consortium Linking Academic and Regulatory Insights
on BPA Toxicity study results in subsequent evaluations of BPA.
Nephrotic Syndrome.--The Committee supports the FDA's
efforts to find better treatments and cures for Nephrotic
Syndrome and believes that the FDA should continue to work with
stakeholders to ensure patients have access to and knowledge
about available clinical trials. The Committee encourages the
FDA to maintain support for the Kidney Health Gateway, which is
becoming a central hub for information, entry to clinical
trials, and expert opinion resources for patients and
professionals.
Olive Oil.--The Committee is particularly concerned with
the number of different standards for olive oil and directs the
FDA to consult with domestic producers and importers of olive
oil to develop a science-based Standard of Identity for the
different grades (e.g. extra virgin, virgin, and refined) of
olive oil and olive-pomace oils.
Opioid Epidemic.--The Committee is deeply concerned about
the opioid abuse epidemic that has taken the lives of more than
70,000 Americans. As previously noted, the Committee
recommendation includes additional funding to support ongoing
efforts to address the opioid crisis, as well as support
existing investments and additional lab needs for the
International Mail Facilities initiative.
The Committee notes that fifty million Americans suffer
from chronic pain and that living with chronic pain can be
life-altering and deeply impact people on many levels. The
current state of chronic pain management is often inadequate
for many patients and places an economic burden on the
healthcare system, costing the U.S. $560,000,000,000 a year.
Management of chronic pain often requires both non-
pharmacological treatment, as well as medicines. Unfortunately,
the current pharmacological options do not meet the needs of
all patients, and additional treatments are needed. Therefore,
the Committee directs the FDA to comply with Section 3001 of
the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid
Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities [SUPPORT]
Act, which directs the FDA to hold public meetings and issue
guidance regarding the challenges and barriers of developing
non-addictive medical products intended to treat pain or
addiction and expects the agency to comply with this directive.
The Committee also notes that the FDA has a responsibility
to seek the advice of experts on the safety and efficacy of
both new opioid medications as is required under the
Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. Therefore, the
Committee continues its directive for FDA to refer any drug
application for an opioid to an advisory committee for their
recommendations prior to approval unless the FDA finds that
holding such advisory committee is not in the interest of
protecting and promoting public health.
The Committee also supports the FDA's efforts to transition
from the conventional opioid analgesic formulations that
dominate the market today to safer products, including, but not
limited to, more effective abuse-deterrent opioid analgesic
formulations. The Committee directs the FDA to comply with
Section 3032 of the SUPPORT Act (Public Law 115-271) and
explore other safety-enhancing features, like special packaging
or disposal options, that could assist with deterring abuse,
misuse, and diversion. The Committee also encourages the FDA to
continue to monitor the effectiveness of existing Opioid
Analgesic Risk Evaluation and Mitigations Strategy to determine
whether further modifications are necessary.
The Committee is also aware of concerns pertaining to the
use of opioid analgesics with ultra-high doses and directs the
FDA to evaluate potential safety issues associated with higher
dose opioid analgesics, as well as potential adverse or public
health consequences associated restrictions on higher dose
opioid analgesics.
Over-the-Counter Monograph.--The Committee is concerned
with free-riders of the FDA Over-the-Counter [OTC] Monograph.
The Committee recognizes that the OTC process
disproportionately places costs and burdens on companies who
proactively participate in studies requested by the FDA. This
permissively allows non-contributors to gain financial rewards
and marketplace advantages resulting from FDA-requested
studies. The Committee appreciates the ongoing work and
relationship between the FDA and external partners to finalize
antiseptic OTC monographs and encourages all parties to
continue their strong collaboration. The Committee urges the
FDA to continue reviewing the free-rider issue and ways to
provide relief to companies that conduct the requested human
data studies. The Committee expects a briefing on progress made
within six months of enactment of this Act.
Oversight Activities.--The Committee recommendation
includes $1,500,000 for the HHS Office of Inspector General
specifically for oversight of FDA activities.
Patent Information Related to Generic Drug Approval.--The
Committee directs the FDA to submit a report 180 days after
enactment of this act that provides a listing of the product
names, dates, and number of all brand-name drugs with patents
listed in the FDA's Orange Book for which a stay of approval
under section 505(c)(3)(C) or 505(j)(5)(B)(iii) of the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Public Law 75-717) was triggered
for an abbreviated new drug application [ANDA] containing a
paragraph IV certification that was approved or tentatively
approved during fiscal years 2017 and 2018, and the total
number of patents listed in the Orange Book, including the date
of their listing, for each such brand name drug at the time the
stay of approval was triggered.
Patient Experience in Drug Reviews.--The Committee is aware
that the FDA is implementing policies to promote public access
to information about how patient experience information
factored into the review of approved products. The Committee
supports this step forward and encourages the FDA to continue
refining the instrument and ways to improve its visibility and
requests an update on the status of such efforts. The Committee
also requests information on FDA efforts to include patient-
experience information in relevant labeling and accompanying
documentation to inform patient/provider decision-making and
payer determinations.
Patient-Focused Drug Development.--The Committee is
appreciative of the steps the FDA has taken to implement
subtitle A of title III within the 21st Century Cures Act
(Public Law 114-255) to better incorporate patient experience
in the drug development and approval processes and requests a
status report from the FDA on implementation of these
provisions including any challenges or impediments being faced.
Pediatric Device Consortia Grants.--The Committee is
pleased that the seven FDA-funded Pediatric Device Consortia
have assisted in the development of more than 1,000 potential
pediatric medical devices since its inception in 2009, as well
as promoting job-growth in the healthcare sector, and as such,
continues to support this critical effort. The program funds
consortia to assist innovators in developing medical and
surgical devices designed for the unique needs of children that
often go unmet by devices currently available on the market.
The Committee recommendation includes no less than the fiscal
year 2019 funding level for Pediatric Device Consortia Grants.
Pediatric IBD Clinical Trial Working Group.--The Committee
is concerned about the growing incidence of pediatric
inflammatory bowel diseases [IBD] and the limited number of
approved therapies for this population. The Committee commends
the FDA for convening a workshop in November of 2018 to examine
barriers to drug development for pediatric IBD, including
clinical trials, and recognizes the work done so far to
identify the variables that impede trial participation. To
advance this work, the Committee strongly encourages the FDA to
partner with stakeholders, including patient advocates,
healthcare professionals, researchers, and industry, to
establish a working group to develop a plan for reducing
barriers to pediatric IBD clinical trial participation and drug
development.
Pediatric Labeling.--The Committee is aware that labeling
for OTC single-ingredient acetaminophen does not contain
weight-based dosing instructions for children ages six months
to two years despite the recommendations of the FDA
Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee [NDAC] and Pediatric
Advisory Committee in 2011 that data supported this information
being added to the label. The Committee is concerned that the
lack of dosing information for this vulnerable population may
lead to dosing errors, adverse events, and inadequate treatment
of fever and pain. As such, the Committee instructs the
Commissioner, within 90 days of enactment of this act, to
provide a plan and timetable for updating the monograph label
for acetaminophen to include weight-based dosing instructions
for children ages six months to two years.
Pesticide Residues in Imported Human Foods.--The Committee
is concerned that imported human food continues to have
significantly higher pesticide violation rates than
domestically produced food. The Committee recognizes that
identifying a high violation rate for an imported commodity
attests to FDA's sampling design. However, such differences
between domestic and import violation rates for specific food
commodities produced both domestically and abroad remains
concerning with respect to human health and differences in
regulatory burdens that contribute to trade and market
distortions. The Committee encourages the FDA to partner with
State inspection services to significantly increase the volume
of inspections on imported food samples. Additionally, the FDA
shall treat products that exceed their threshold for the
special attention list with higher priority for increased
inspections. The Committee notes that, while some imported
products may not meet the ten percent threshold, certain
imported products in the 2016 report had disproportionately
higher violation rates than domestic products, such as
strawberries, which had no domestic violations but an eight
percent violation rate for imported strawberries. In the
future, the FDA shall add imported products with significantly
higher rates of foreign violations compared to domestic
violations to the list of products that warrant special
attention.
Pet Food.--The Committee is interested in obtaining more
information on the FDA's approach to the investigation it is
undertaking regarding canine dilated cardiomyopathy [DCM] and
the manner in which it has released information to the public.
The Committee directs the FDA to brief the Committee within 60
days about how it is conducting its investigation, including
the case definition the FDA uses to include or exclude cases
and the scientific work ongoing at the agency and with
collaborating partners for identifying a causation of DCM; how
it distinguishes DCM due to genetic predisposition in certain
breeds; how the agency plans to work with pet food companies
and the veterinary cardiology community during the
investigation; and the timing and nature of any future public
reporting.
Polypharmacy.--The routine usage of five or more
prescription medications within the same period is becoming
increasingly prevalent among older adults, elevating risk
factors for drug-drug interactions and adverse events. The
Committee directs the FDA to assess potential impacts of
polypharmacy, which might help inform the design of clinical
studies.
Promoting Domestic Manufacturing.--The Committee supports
the agency's work to promote the domestic manufacturing of drug
and biological products. The Committee encourages the FDA to
increase its efforts to encourage the pharmaceutical industry
to adopt advanced manufacturing technologies that have the
potential to improve product quality. The Committee directs the
FDA to brief the Committee within 180 days of its efforts to
promote advanced manufacturing technologies.
Purple Book Publication.--The Committee directs the agency
to allocate sufficient resources to support publication and
enhancement of the ``Lists of Licensed Biological Products with
Reference Product Exclusivity and Biosimilarity or
Interchangeability Evaluations'' for the purpose of promoting
the use of biosimilars, encouraging biosimilar competition, and
improving transparency.
Pyrogen Testing.--The Committee is aware of currently
available human biology-based tests that could be used in place
of animal-based tests for assessing pyrogencity. The Committee
encourages the agency to establish processes for evaluating
alternative pyrogencitiy tests and report back on steps taken
to increase their use and effectiveness.
Rare Cancer Therapeutic Development Program.--The FDA's
Oncology Center of Excellence was formed to streamline the
development of cancer therapies by creating a unified and
collaborative scientific environment to advance the development
and regulation of oncology products for cancer patients.
However, there continues to be a significant development gap
for rare cancer therapies while all 22 of the common cancers,
which account for 5.5 percent of all cancer types, have
multiple treatment options. Therefore, the Committee urges the
FDA to focus additional resources on the Rare Cancer
Therapeutic Development Program to address gaps in the system,
streamline resources, accelerate the development of rare cancer
therapies and advance the field of cancer research overall.
Ready-to-Eat [RTE] Foods.--The Committee is aware that the
FDA is in the process of finalizing guidance regarding Listeria
monocytogenes (Lm) in RTE foods. Reducing incidents of
listeriosis is an important health goal and the Committee
supports efforts to accomplish this objective. The Committee
urges the FDA to complete a comprehensive quantitative risk
assessment of the presence of Lm in various foods, which will
help to provide a scientific basis for determining a reliable
and achievable Lm action limit for frozen foods.
Regenerative Medicine Standards.--The Committee is aware of
ongoing efforts between the FDA and the National Institute of
Standards and Technology [NIST] to coordinate standard
development activities that support innovation for regenerative
medicine therapies. The Committee recognizes the potential that
innovative medical treatments such as regenerative medicine
therapies hold to improve the lives of those living with
serious and complex medical conditions such as cancer. The
Committee encourages the ongoing work of the FDA and NIST to
identify, develop, and assess quality standards for components
that are key to advancing regenerative medicine, including
plasmids. Providing greater certainty surrounding quality
standards and regulatory predictability may allow industry,
regulatory authorities, and other stakeholders to decrease time
to market in making such products available to the public.
Seafood Advice.--The Committee remains concerned that
pregnant women do not have Federal advice on seafood
consumption based on the latest nutrition science that has been
subject to interagency review under Executive Order 12866 and
that is consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans as
required under 7 U.S. Code Sec. 5341(b). Therefore, the
Committee directs the FDA to implement Section 773 of Public
Law 116-6 by reissuing the final ``Advice About Eating Fish''
(published in 82 Fed. Reg. 6571 (January 19, 2017)) in a manner
that is consistent with the FDA ``Quantitative Assessment of
the Net Effects on Fetal Neurodevelopment from Eating
Commercial Fish'' (announced in 79 Fed. Reg. 33559 (June 11,
2014)).
Seafood Labeling.--The Committee is concerned about
imitation seafood products being marketed as seafood. As the
FDA continues to update the standards of identity for certain
foods, the Committee directs the FDA Commissioner to coordinate
with the seafood industry to ensure that such products are
properly labeled in accordance with such standards of identity.
Seafood Safety.--As previously noted, the Committee
provides a $1,000,000 increase for foreign seafood safety
inspections, as well as additional funding under the Building
and Facilities account for seafood safety improvements.
Sesame Allergen Labeling.--The Committee recognizes the
importance of sesame allergy as the ninth most prevalent food
allergen, with the potential to cause severe adverse events
among some Americans. The Committee is concerned that one in
every three children with a sesame allergy visits the emergency
room [ER] each year and that adults with a sesame allergy are
more likely to visit the ER in a given year than adults with
any of the top eight food allergens. The Committee is
encouraged that the FDA recently requested information to
inform possible regulatory action, and encourages the FDA to
make use of its authority under the Food Allergen Labeling and
Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-282) to require
labeling for sesame. The Committee urges the FDA to issue a
report to Congress within six months of enactment of this act
outlining a process and timeline for determining further
regulatory action on sesame allergen labeling.
Shellfish Safety.--The Committee urges the FDA to complete
the single laboratory validation of the liquid chromatography
mass spectrometry [LC-MS]-based method for detecting
brevetoxins association with neurotoxic shellfish poisoning in
molluscan shellfish. The Committee further urges the Interstate
Shellfish Sanitation Conference to adopt the FDA's proposal for
the LC-MS method for brevetoxin testing of shellfish as an
Approved Method under the National Shellfish Sanitation
Program.
Sunscreen Ingredients.--The Committee has expressed concern
about the FDA's lack of progress in approving new sunscreen
ingredients despite passage of the Sunscreen Innovation Act
[SIA] (Public Law 113-195). The FDA's recently proposed
sunscreen regulation has led to media reports that raise
questions about the safety of sunscreen ingredients that have
demonstrated success in preventing skin cancer around the
world. The Committee is concerned that the rule may create
confusion about sunscreens with a sun protection factor [SPF]
over 60. The Committee urges the FDA to clarify its messaging
concerning currently marketed sunscreen ingredients as an
effective method to prevent skin cancer while additional
testing is underway and to work with stakeholders to develop a
testing regime that sufficiently balances the risks and
benefits of using sunscreen ingredients to prevent skin cancer.
Thermal Packaging.--Food and pharmaceutical delivery is one
of the fastest growing shipping markets, and with that come a
significant increase in packaging waste. The Committee is aware
of design-forward approaches that merge sustainability and
functionality for entities shipping time-sensitive materials,
and accordingly, directs the FDA to provide awareness on the
economic and environmental benefits of sustainable thermal
packaging alternatives.
Tuberculosis [TB].--The Committee directs the agency to
work with the Centers for Disease Control to explore
interagency mechanisms to mitigate TB drug shortages, including
centralizing procurement and supply, securing resources to
maintain the limited emergency TB drug stockpile, developing
policies to allow for the importation of needed quality-assured
drugs, and formalizing a patient assistance program for
accessing treatments.
User Fee Goals Letters.--The Committee affirms the
important role of user fees in supporting programs across the
FDA and supports the negotiations between the agency and
regulated industry partners to compose a goals letter
establishing clear expectations for both parties regarding
timelines and processes associated with implementation of the
law. Historically these goals letters are added to the
Congressional Record, unedited by Congress, and referenced in
the law authorizing the collection of such fees. The Committee
is concerned that recent user fee negotiations between the FDA
and regulated industries have resulted in goals letters
submitted to Congress containing policy changes that require
statutory changes and presume that Congress will adopt
suggested statutory changes. While the Committee encourages the
agency to continue to provide suggested statutory changes in a
timely manner to Congress that can help the agency meet its
mission, the Committee finds that it is inappropriate for the
agency and its regulated industry partners to negotiate
statutory or other legal changes as part of user fee goals
letters.
Vaccine Models for HIV.--The Committee supports the FDA's
commitment to drug and biological product evaluation and
research and encourages the agency to continue its research on
HIV infection, specifically vaccine models for HIV.
Vaping Illness Response.--The Committee commends the
Administration's recent actions to confront underage nicotine
vaping, which has increased over the past year. Preliminary
data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey show an increase in
e-vapor use among high schoolers from 20 percent to 27.5
percent. However, the Committee remains deeply concerned about
a separate public health crisis involving vapor products that
is affecting both children and adults--the recent outbreak in
pulmonary illnesses likely caused by low quality or adulterated
vaping products that contain THC. The CDC has reported 380
cases of acute lung illness across the U.S., including seven
deaths. The CDC and the FDA have not ruled out any particular
product type. The Committee is deeply concerned about the role
that low-quality, easily adulterated, or abused vapor products,
whether containing nicotine or any cannabinoid, are playing in
such illnesses and directs the FDA to continue working with the
CDC and other relevant agencies such as the Drug Enforcement
Agency [DEA] to investigate this matter fully.
Vibrio.--The Committee is aware of the public health
challenge related to the naturally occurring bacteria called
Vibrio parahaemolyticus that can accumulate in shellfish and
believes that more scientific research is necessary to develop
proper controls that will reduce the risk to consumers and
sustain a healthy domestic shellfish industry. The Committee
encourages the FDA to increase funding for research into Vibrio
illnesses associated with the consumption of raw molluscan
shellfish, improve risk assessment models, and develop improved
rapid detection methods for virulent Vibrio strains.
White Oak.--The FDA's growing staff will require leasing
additional office locations until the 2018 Federal Research
Center Master Plan for the White Oak Campus expansion can be
fully implemented. To determine the lowest cost technically
acceptable for a prospectus lease, the FDA should consider the
effect of local travel on staff productivity, adjacency to
existing FDA leases, and the cost of lost productivity when
evaluating the costs of lease proposals.
BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $11,788,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 11,788,000
Committee recommendation................................ 11,788,000
FDA maintains offices and staff in 49 States and in the
District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, including field
laboratories and specialized facilities, as well as the
National Center for Toxicological Research complex. Repairs,
modifications, improvements, and construction to FDA
headquarters and field facilities must be made to preserve the
properties, ensure employee safety, meet changing program
requirements, and permit the agency to keep its laboratory
methods up to date.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $11,788,000
for FDA buildings and facilities. This funding shall be used to
upgrade FDA facilities and laboratories which are currently
below public safety standards and incapable of performing
agency requirements.
FDA Innovation Account, Cures Act
Appropriations, 2019.................................... $70,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 75,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 75,000,000
The Committee recommends $75,000,000 for the FDA as
authorized in the 21st Century Cures Act (Public Law 114-255).
INDEPENDENT AGENCY
Farm Credit Administration
LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
Limitation, 2019........................................ $74,600,000
Budget estimate, 2020................................... 76,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 77,000,000
The Farm Credit Administration [FCA] is the independent
agency in the executive branch of the Government responsible
for the examination and regulation of the banks, associations,
and other institutions of the Farm Credit System.
Activities of the Farm Credit Administration include the
planning and execution of examinations of Farm Credit System
institutions and the preparation of examination reports. FCA
also promulgates regulations, establishes standards, enforces
rules and regulations, and approves certain actions of the
institutions.
The administration and the institutions under its
jurisdiction now operate under authorities contained in the
Farm Credit Act of 1971, Public Law 92-181, effective December
10, 1971. Public Law 99-205, effective December 23, 1985,
restructured FCA and gave the agency regulatory authorities and
enforcement powers.
The Act provides for the farmer-owned cooperative system to
make sound, adequate, and constructive credit available to
farmers and ranchers and their cooperatives, rural residences,
and associations and other entities upon which farming
operations are dependent, and to modernize existing farm credit
law to meet current and future rural credit needs.
The Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-233)
authorized the formation of the Federal Agricultural Mortgage
Corporation [FAMC] to operate a secondary market for
agricultural and rural housing mortgages. The Farm Credit
Administration, under section 8.11 of the Farm Credit Act of
1971 (Public Law 92-181), as amended, is assigned the
responsibility of regulating this entity and assuring its safe
and sound operation.
Expenses of the Farm Credit Administration are paid by
assessments collected from the Farm Credit System institutions
and by assessments to the Federal Agricultural Mortgage
Corporation.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends a limitation of $77,000,000 on
administrative expenses of the Farm Credit Administration
[FCA].
Financing Agricultural Exports.--The Committee directs FCA
to report on options for risk management practices of the Farm
Credit System in order to alleviate constraints on financing
agricultural exports to new and existing markets.
Hemp-Based Products.--The Committee recognizes the growing
interest for U.S. hemp and hemp-based products for a variety of
uses and directs the Administration to work with the
institutions under its jurisdiction to provide access to
guaranteed loans for hemp producers and businesses.
Public-private Partnerships.--The Committee recognizes the
value of public-private partnerships in financing rural
communities and facilities and also recognizes that the Farm
Credit Act of 1971, as amended, provides clear authority for
Farm Credit System institutions to make investments in vital
rural community facilities. The Committee recognizes that FCA's
current approach to approving these types of Farm Credit System
investments on an individual basis does not meet the needs of
rural communities. FCA is strongly encouraged to substantially
change its current process to create a clear, programmatic
approval process which enables timely, comprehensive, and cost
effective rural community facilities financing packages by
allowing and expediting Farm Credit System institutions'
partnerships with community banks, other financial
institutions, and USDA.
TITLE VII
GENERAL PROVISIONS
(INCLUDING RESCISSIONS AND TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
The Committee recommends the following provisions:
Section 701. This section includes language regarding
passenger motor vehicles.
Section 702. This section includes language regarding the
Working Capital Fund.
Section 703. This section limits the funding provided in
the bill to one year, unless otherwise specified.
Section 704. This section includes language regarding
indirect costs.
Section 705. This section includes language regarding Rural
Development programs.
Section 706. This section includes language regarding new
information technology.
Section 707. This section includes language regarding
conservation programs.
Section 708. This section includes language regarding Rural
Utilities Service program eligibility.
Section 709. This section includes language regarding
information technology expenses.
Section 710. This section includes language regarding
first-class travel.
Section 711. This section includes language regarding the
Commodity Credit Corporation.
Section 712. This section includes language regarding
advisory committees.
Section 713. This section includes language regarding
information technology systems.
Section 714. This section includes language regarding
section 32 activities.
Section 715. This section includes language regarding user
fee proposals without offsets.
Section 716. This section includes language regarding the
reprogramming of funds and notification requirements.
Section 717. This section includes language regarding fees
for the guaranteed business and industry loan program.
Section 718. This section includes language regarding the
appropriations hearing process.
Section 719. This section includes language regarding
prepackaged news.
Section 720. This section includes language regarding
details and assignments of Department of Agriculture employees.
Section 721. This section includes language regarding
spending plans.
Section 722. This section includes language regarding a
rescission of funds.
Section 723. This section includes language regarding
section 502 single family direct loans.
Section 724. This section includes language regarding loans
and loan guarantees.
Section 725. This section includes language regarding
credit card refunds.
Section 726. This section includes language regarding the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Section 727. This section includes language regarding hemp.
Section 728. This section includes language regarding
housing loan programs.
Section 729. This section includes language regarding
disclosure of information for pharmaceuticals.
Section 730. This section includes language regarding gene
editing.
Section 731. This section includes language regarding dried
spent grain products.
Section 732. This section includes language a pilot program
through the Rural Housing Service.
Section 733. This section includes language regarding APHIS
inspections.
Section 734. This section includes language regarding
partially hydrogenated oils.
Section 735. This section includes language regarding the
National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility.
Section 736. This section includes language regarding the
Conservation Reserve Program.
Section 737. This section includes language regarding the
Water Bank program.
Section 738. This section includes language regarding
geographically disadvantaged farmers.
Section 739. This section includes language regarding
animal welfare.
Section 740. This section includes language regarding
domestic preference.
Section 741. This section includes language regarding Rural
Economic Area Partnership zones.
Section 742. This section includes language regarding a
pilot program through the Rural Housing Service.
Section 743. This section includes language regarding
lobbying.
Section 744. This section includes language regarding
potable water.
Section 745. This section includes language regarding Rural
Development programs.
Section 746. This section includes language regarding Farm
to School programs.
Section 747. This section includes language regarding the
Healthy Food Financing Initiative.
Section 748. This section includes language regarding
citrus greening.
Section 749. This section includes language regarding FDA
regulation.
Section 750. This section includes language regarding a
NIFA pilot program.
Section 751. This section includes language regarding
school meal programs.
Section 752. This section includes language regarding AMS
rulemaking.
Section 753. This section includes language regarding dairy
innovation centers.
Section 754. This section includes language regarding
mitigation banking.
Section 755. This section includes language regarding fluid
milk.
Section 756. This section includes language regarding
micro-grants for food security.
Section 757. This section includes language regarding FDA
Buildings & Facilities.
Section 758. This section includes language regarding RISE
grants.
Section 759. This section includes language regarding a
rescission of funds.
Section 760. This section includes language regarding a
pilot program through the Rural Utilities Service.
Section 761. This section includes language regarding Water
and Waste grants.
Section 762. This section includes language regarding the
Economic Research Service and the National Institute of Food
and Agriculture.
Section 763. This section includes language regarding FDA
regulation.
Section 764. This section includes language regarding the
WHIP program.
Section 765. This section includes language regarding horse
slaughter.
Section 766. This section includes language regarding SNAP.
Section 767. This section includes language regarding FDA
regulation.
PROGRAM, PROJECT, AND ACTIVITY
During fiscal year 2020, for purposes of the Balanced
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Public Law
99-177) or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control
Reaffirmation Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-119), the following
information provides the definition of the term ``program,
project, and activity'' for departments and agencies under the
jurisdiction of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and
Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. The
term ``program, project, and activity'' shall include the most
specific level of budget items identified in the Agriculture,
Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2020, and the accompanying Senate
Report.
If a sequestration order is necessary, in implementing the
Presidential order, departments and agencies shall apply any
percentage reduction required for fiscal year 2020 pursuant to
the provisions of Public Law 99-177 or Public Law 100-119 to
all items specified in the explanatory notes submitted to the
Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate in support
of the fiscal year 2020 budget estimates, as amended, for such
departments and agencies, as modified by congressional action,
and in addition:
For the Agricultural Research Service the definition shall
include specific research locations as identified in the
explanatory notes.
For the Natural Resources Conservation Service the
definition shall include individual flood prevention projects
as identified in the explanatory notes and individual
operational watershed projects as summarized in the notes.
For the Farm Service Agency the definition shall include
individual, regional, State, district, and county offices.
COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7, RULE XVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE
SENATE
Paragraph 7 of rule XVI requires that Committee reports
accompanying general appropriations bills identify each
recommended amendment which proposes an item of appropriation
which is not made to carry out the provisions of an existing
law, a treaty stipulation, or an act or resolution previously
passed by the Senate during that session.
The Committee is filing an original bill, which is not
covered under this rule, but reports this information in the
spirit of full disclosure.
The Committee recommends funding for the following programs
or activities which currently lack authorization for fiscal
year 2020:
Broadband Telecommunications Grants
Child Nutrition Program State Administrative Expenses
Farmers Market Nutrition Program
Multi-family Housing Revitalization Program
National School Lunch Act - Information Clearinghouse
School Meals Program - Compliance and Accountability
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants
and Children
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Summer Food Service Program
COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7(c), RULE XXVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE
SENATE
Pursuant to paragraph 7(c) of rule XXVI, on September 19,
2019, the Committee ordered favorably reported an original bill
(S. 2522) making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, and for
other purposes, provided, that the bill be subject to amendment
and that the bill be consistent with its budget allocation, and
provided that the Chairman of the Committee or his designee be
authorized to offer the substance of the original bill as a
Committee amendment in the nature of a substitute to the House
companion measure, by a recorded vote of 31-0, a quorum being
present. The vote was as follows:
Yeas Nays
Chairman Shelby
Mr. McConnell
Mr. Alexander
Ms. Collins
Ms. Murkowski
Mr. Graham
Mr. Blunt
Mr. Moran
Mr. Hoeven
Mr. Boozman
Mrs. Capito
Mr. Kennedy
Mrs. Hyde-Smith
Mr. Daines
Mr. Rubio
Mr. Lankford
Mr. Leahy
Mrs. Murray
Mrs. Feinstein
Mr. Durbin
Mr. Reed
Mr. Tester
Mr. Udall
Mrs. Shaheen
Mr. Merkley
Mr. Coons
Mr. Schatz
Ms. Baldwin
Mr. Murphy
Mr. Manchin
Mr. Van Hollen
COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 12, RULE XXVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE
SENATE
Paragraph 12 of rule XXVI requires that Committee reports
on a bill or joint resolution repealing or amending any statute
or part of any statute include ``(a) the text of the statute or
part thereof which is proposed to be repealed; and (b) a
comparative print of that part of the bill or joint resolution
making the amendment and of the statute or part thereof
proposed to be amended, showing by stricken-through type and
italics, parallel columns, or other appropriate typographical
devices the omissions and insertions which would be made by the
bill or joint resolution if enacted in the form recommended by
the Committee.''
In compliance with this rule, changes in existing law
proposed to be made by the bill are shown as follows: existing
law to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets; new matter is
printed in italic; and existing law in which no change is
proposed is shown in roman.
TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
Chapter 13--School Lunch Programs
Sec. 1758. Program requirements
(a) Nutritional requirements
* * * * * * *
(h) Food safety
(1) In general
* * * * * * *
(3) Audits and reports by States
[For fiscal year 2019] For fiscal year 2020, each State
shall annually--
* * * * * * *
(4) Audit by the Secretary
[For fiscal year 2019] For fiscal year 2020, the Secretary
shall annually audit State reports of food safety inspections
of schools submitted under paragraph (3).
* * * * * * *
Sec. 1769g. Information clearinghouse
(a) In general
* * * * * * *
(d) Funding
Out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, the Secretary of the Treasury shall pay to the
Secretary to provide to the organization selected under this
section, to establish and maintain the information
clearinghouse, $200,000 for each of fiscal years 1995 and 1996,
$150,000 for fiscal year 1997, $100,000 for fiscal year 1998,
$166,000 for each of fiscal years 1999 through 2004, and
$250,000 for each of fiscal years [2010 through 2019] 2010
through 2020. The Secretary shall be entitled to receive the
funds and shall accept the funds, without further
appropriation.
BUDGETARY IMPACT OF BILL
PREPARED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE PURSUANT TO SEC. 308(A), PUBLIC LAW 93-344, AS
AMENDED
[In millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget authority Outlays
-------------------------------------------------------
Committee Amount in Committee Amount in
allocation bill allocation bill
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comparison of amounts in the bill with the subcommittee
allocation for 2020: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related
Agencies:
Mandatory........................................... 105,588 105,588 97,934 \1\97,934
Discretionary....................................... 23,108 23,108 24,540 \1\24,540
Security........................................ ............ ............ ............ NA
Nonsecurity..................................... 23,108 23,108 NA NA
Projection of outlays associated with the
recommendation:
2020................................................ ............ ............ ............ \2\103,690
2021................................................ ............ ............ ............ 6,568
2022................................................ ............ ............ ............ 1,461
2023................................................ ............ ............ ............ 686
2024 and future years............................... ............ ............ ............ 396
Financial assistance to State and local governments for NA 39,368 NA \2\32,824
P2020..................................................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Includes outlays from prior-year budget authority.
\2\Excludes outlays from prior-year budget authority.
NA: Not applicable.
NOTE.--Pursuant to section 1002(b)(3)(B) of the 21st Century Cures Act (Public Law 114-255), $75,000,000 in
budget authority and the resulting outlays do not count for the purposes of estimates under the Congressional
Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF NEW BUDGET (OBLIGATIONAL) AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019 AND BUDGET ESTIMATES AND AMOUNTS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL FOR FISCAL
YEAR 2020
[In thousands of dollars]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Senate Committee recommendation
compared with (+ or -)
Item 2019 Budget Committee ---------------------------------
appropriation estimate recommendation 2019 Budget
appropriation estimate
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TITLE I--AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS
Processing, Research, and Marketing
Staff Offices
Office of the Secretary
Office of the Secretary............................................ 5,051 4,850 6,030 +979 +1,180
Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development................... 800 800 ............... -800 -800
Office of Homeland Security........................................ 1,496 1,448 1,496 ............... +48
Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement....................... 4,711 1,672 4,711 ............... +3,039
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration............... 875 875 875 ............... ...............
Departmental Administration........................................ 22,301 21,376 22,301 ............... +925
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal..................................................... 23,176 22,251 23,176 ............... +925
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations and 3,869 3,091 3,869 ............... +778
Intergovernmental Affairs.........................................
Office of Communications........................................... 7,500 7,261 7,500 ............... +239
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Office of the Secretary............................... 46,603 41,373 46,782 +179 +5,409
====================================================================================
Executive Operations
Office of the Chief Economist...................................... 21,286 18,513 24,286 +3,000 +5,773
Office of Hearings and Appeals..................................... 15,222 13,474 15,222 ............... +1,748
Office of Budget and Program Analysis.............................. 9,525 8,199 9,525 ............... +1,326
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal..................................................... 46,033 40,186 49,033 +3,000 +8,847
Office of the Chief Information Officer............................ 55,630 101,400 101,400 +45,770 ...............
Office of the Chief Financial Officer.............................. 6,028 13,500 13,500 +7,472 ...............
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights................. 901 800 901 ............... +101
Office of Civil Rights............................................. 24,206 21,228 24,206 ............... +2,978
Agriculture Buildings and Facilities............................... 59,967 331,114 331,114 +271,147 ...............
Hazardous materials management..................................... 3,503 3,290 3,503 ............... +213
Office of Inspector General........................................ 98,208 98,208 98,208 ............... ...............
Office of the General Counsel...................................... 45,146 41,242 45,146 ............... +3,904
Office of Ethics................................................... 4,136 2,752 4,136 ............... +1,384
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Executive Operations.................................. 343,758 653,720 671,147 +327,389 +17,427
====================================================================================
Total, Staff Offices......................................... 390,361 695,093 717,929 +327,568 +22,836
====================================================================================
Office of the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and 800 800 800 ............... ...............
Economics.........................................................
Economic Research Service.......................................... 86,757 60,500 86,757 ............... +26,257
National Agricultural Statistics Service........................... 174,517 163,000 175,294 +777 +12,294
Census of Agriculture.......................................... (45,300) (45,300) (45,300) ............... ...............
Agricultural Research Service
Salaries and expenses.............................................. 1,303,266 1,203,491 1,424,966 +121,700 +221,475
Buildings and facilities........................................... 381,200 50,000 304,800 -76,400 +254,800
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Agricultural Research Service......................... 1,684,466 1,253,491 1,729,766 +45,300 +476,275
====================================================================================
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Research and education activities.................................. 927,649 974,715 937,649 +10,000 -37,066
Native American Institutions Endowment Fund........................ (11,880) (11,857) (11,880) ............... (+23)
Extension activities............................................... 505,692 415,274 509,082 +3,390 +93,808
Integrated activities.............................................. 38,000 1,697 38,000 ............... +36,303
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, National Institute of Food and Agriculture............ 1,471,341 1,391,686 1,484,731 +13,390 +93,045
====================================================================================
Office of the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs 901 800 901 ............... +101
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Salaries and expenses.............................................. 1,011,136 981,893 1,027,916 +16,780 +46,023
Buildings and facilities........................................... 3,175 2,709 3,175 ............... +466
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service............ 1,014,311 984,602 1,031,091 +16,780 +46,489
====================================================================================
Agricultural Marketing Service
Marketing Services................................................. 159,095 115,143 181,549 +22,454 +66,406
(Limitation on administrative expenses, from fees collected)....... (61,227) (60,982) (61,227) ............... (+245)
Funds for strengthening markets, income, and supply (Section 32):
Permanent, Section 32.......................................... 1,374,000 1,404,000 1,404,000 +30,000 ...............
Marketing agreements and orders (transfer from Section 32). (20,705) (20,705) (20,705) ............... ...............
Payments to States and Possessions............................. 1,235 1,109 1,235 ............... +126
Limitation on inspection and weighing services................. (55,000) (80,000) (55,000) ............... (-25,000)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Agricultural Marketing Service program................ 1,650,557 1,661,234 1,703,011 +52,454 +41,777
====================================================================================
Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety...................... 800 800 800 ............... ...............
Food Safety and Inspection Service................................. 1,049,344 1,045,320 1,054,344 +5,000 +9,024
Lab accreditation fees......................................... (1,000) (1,000) (1,000) ............... ...............
====================================================================================
Total, title I, Agricultural Programs........................ 7,407,928 7,116,344 7,869,197 +461,269 +752,853
(By transfer)............................................ (20,705) (20,705) (20,705) ............... ...............
(Limitation on administrative expenses).................. (116,227) (140,982) (116,227) ............... (-24,755)
====================================================================================
TITLE II--Farm Production and Conservation Programs
Farm Production Programs
Office of the Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation. 901 875 901 ............... +26
Farm Production and Conservation Business Center................... 216,350 206,530 206,530 -9,820 ...............
(By transfer from CCC)......................................... (60,228) (60,228) (60,228) ............... ...............
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, FPAC Business Center (including transfers)............ (276,578) (266,758) (266,758) (-9,820) ...............
====================================================================================
Farm Service Agency
Salaries and expenses.............................................. 1,081,655 1,012,008 1,127,837 +46,182 +115,829
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Salaries and expenses (including transfers)........... (1,081,655) (1,012,008) (1,127,837) (+46,182) (+115,829)
====================================================================================
State mediation grants............................................. 3,904 3,067 5,545 +1,641 +2,478
Grassroots source water protection program......................... 6,500 ............... 6,500 ............... +6,500
Dairy indemnity program............................................ 500 500 500 ............... ...............
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Farm Service Agency................................ 1,092,559 1,015,575 1,140,382 +47,823 +124,807
Agricultural Credit Insurance Fund [ACIF] Program Account:
Loan authorizations:
Farm ownership loans:
Direct................................................. (1,500,000) (1,500,000) (1,500,000) ............... ...............
Guaranteed............................................. (2,750,000) (2,750,000) (2,750,000) ............... ...............
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal............................................. (4,250,000) (4,250,000) (4,250,000) ............... ...............
Farm operating loans:
Direct................................................. (1,530,000) (1,550,133) (1,550,133) (+20,133) ...............
Unsubsidized guaranteed................................ (1,960,000) (1,614,953) (1,960,000) ............... (+345,047)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal............................................. (3,490,000) (3,165,086) (3,510,133) (+20,133) (+345,047)
Emergency loans........................................ (37,668) (29,181) (37,668) ............... (+8,487)
Indian tribe land acquisition loans.................... (20,000) (20,000) (20,000) ............... ...............
Conservation loans:
Guaranteed............................................. (150,000) (150,000) (150,000) ............... ...............
Indian Highly Fractionated Land Loans.................. (10,000) ............... (10,000) ............... (+10,000)
Boll weevil eradication loans.......................... (30,000) (60,000) (60,000) (+30,000) ...............
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Loan authorizations........................... (7,987,668) (7,674,267) (8,037,801) (+50,133) (+363,534)
====================================================================================
Loan subsidies:
Farm operating loans:
Direct................................................. 59,670 58,440 58,440 -1,230 ...............
Unsubsidized guaranteed................................ 21,168 17,280 20,972 -196 +3,692
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal............................................. 80,838 75,720 79,412 -1,426 +3,692
Emergency Loans........................................ 1,567 1,567 2,023 +456 +456
Indian Highly Fractionated Land Loans.................. 2,134 ............... 2,745 +611 +2,745
Boll weevil eradication loans.......................... ............... 60 60 +60 ...............
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Loan subsidies and grants..................... 84,539 77,347 84,240 -299 +6,893
====================================================================================
ACIF administrative expenses:
Administrative Expenses.................................... 317,068 319,762 319,762 +2,694 ...............
(Program Loan Cost Expenses)........................... (10,070) (9,567) (9,567) (-503) ...............
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Agricultural Credit Insurance Fund Program Account.... 401,607 397,109 404,002 +2,395 +6,893
(Loan authorizations)........................................ (7,987,668) (7,674,267) (8,037,801) (+50,133) (+363,534)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Farm Service Agency................................... 1,494,166 1,412,684 1,544,384 +50,218 +131,700
====================================================================================
Risk Management Agency
RMA Salaries and Expenses.......................................... 58,361 56,045 58,361 ............... +2,316
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Farm Production Programs.............................. 1,769,778 1,676,134 1,810,176 +40,398 +134,042
====================================================================================
Natural Resources Conservation Service:
Private Lands Conservation Operations.......................... 819,492 755,000 835,228 +15,736 +80,228
(By transfer from FSRI).................................... ............... (1,230,000) ............... ............... (-1,230,000)
Farm Security and Rural Investment Program:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Conservation operations............................... 819,492 755,000 835,228 +15,736 +80,228
====================================================================================
Watershed flood and prevention operations...................... 150,000 ............... 175,000 +25,000 +175,000
Watershed rehabilitation program............................... 10,000 ............... ............... -10,000 ...............
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Natural Resources Conservation Service................ 979,492 755,000 1,010,228 +30,736 +255,228
====================================================================================
Corporations
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation:
Federal crop insurance corporation fund........................ 15,410,629 8,936,000 8,936,000 -6,474,629 ...............
Commodity Credit Corporation Fund:
Reimbursement for net realized losses.......................... 15,410,000 25,553,096 25,553,096 +10,143,096 ...............
Hazardous waste management (limitation on expenses)............ (5,000) (5,000) (5,000) ............... ...............
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Corporations.......................................... 30,820,629 34,489,096 34,489,096 +3,668,467 ...............
====================================================================================
Total, title II, Farm Production and Conservation Programs... 33,569,899 36,920,230 37,309,500 +3,739,601 +389,270
(By transfer)............................................ (60,228) (1,290,228) (60,228) ............... (-1,230,000)
====================================================================================
TITLE III--RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Office of the Under Secretary for Rural Development................ ............... ............... 800 +800 +800
Rural Development
Rural development expenses:
Salaries and expenses.......................................... 236,835 192,343 242,005 +5,170 +49,662
(By transfer from RHIF)........................................ (412,254) (244,249) (412,254) ............... (+168,005)
(By transfer from RCFP)........................................ ............... (147,591) ............... ............... (-147,591)
(By transfer from RDLFP)....................................... (4,468) ............... (4,468) ............... (+4,468)
(By transfer from RETLP)....................................... (33,270) (38,027) (33,270) ............... (-4,757)
(By transfer from B&I)......................................... ............... (7,035) ............... ............... (-7,035)
(By transfer from RWWDP)....................................... ............... (18,149) ............... ............... (-18,149)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, transfers from program accounts.................... 449,992 455,051 449,992 ............... -5,059
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Rural development expenses............................ 686,827 647,394 691,997 +5,170 +44,603
====================================================================================
Rural Housing Service
Rural Housing Insurance Fund Program Account:
Loan authorizations:
Single family direct (Sec. 502)............................ (1,000,000) ............... (1,000,000) ............... (+1,000,000)
Unsubsidized guaranteed................................ (24,000,000) (24,000,000) (24,000,000) ............... ...............
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Single family.............................. 25,000,000 24,000,000 25,000,000 ............... +1,000,000
Housing repair (Sec. 504).............................. (28,000) ............... (28,000) ............... (+28,000)
Rental housing (Sec. 515).............................. (40,000) ............... (40,000) ............... (+40,000)
Multi-family housing guarantees (Sec. 538)............. (230,000) (250,000) (230,000) ............... (-20,000)
Site development loans (Sec. 524)...................... (5,000) ............... (5,000) ............... (+5,000)
Single family housing credit sales..................... (10,000) (10,000) (10,000) ............... ...............
Self-help housing land development housing loans (Sec. (5,000) ............... (5,000) ............... (+5,000)
523)..................................................
Farm Labor Housing (Sec. 514).......................... (27,500) ............... (27,500) ............... (+27,500)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Loan authorizations........................... 25,345,500 24,260,000 25,345,500 ............... +1,085,500
====================================================================================
Loan subsidies:
Single family direct (Sec. 502)............................ 67,700 ............... 90,000 +22,300 +90,000
Housing repair (Sec. 504).................................. 3,419 ............... 4,679 +1,260 +4,679
Rental housing (Sec. 515).................................. 9,484 ............... 12,144 +2,660 +12,144
Farm labor housing (Sec. 514).............................. 6,853 ............... 8,583 +1,730 +8,583
Self-Help Land Development Housing Loans (Sec. 523)........ 431 ............... 577 +146 +577
Site Development Loans (Sec. 524).......................... 176 ............... 546 +370 +546
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Loan subsidies.................................... 88,063 ............... 116,529 +28,466 +116,529
====================================================================================
Farm labor housing grants.................................. 10,000 ............... 10,000 ............... +10,000
RHIF administrative expenses............................... 412,254 244,249 412,254 ............... +168,005
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Rural Housing Insurance Fund program.............. 510,317 244,249 538,783 +28,466 +294,534
(Loan authorization)............................... (25,345,500) (24,260,000) (25,345,500) ............... (+1,085,500)
====================================================================================
Rental assistance program:
Rental assistance (Sec. 521)............................... 1,331,400 1,375,000 1,375,000 +43,600 ...............
Rural housing vouchers..................................... ............... 32,000 ............... ............... -32,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Rental Assistance Program...................... 1,331,400 1,407,000 1,375,000 +43,600 -32,000
Multi-Family Housing Revitalization Program Account:
Rural housing voucher program.................................. 27,000 ............... 32,000 +5,000 +32,000
Multi-family housing revitalization program.................... 24,500 ............... 24,500 ............... +24,500
Mutual and self-help housing grants............................ 30,000 ............... 30,000 ............... +30,000
Rural housing assistance grants................................ 45,000 ............... 45,000 ............... +45,000
Rural community facilities program account:
Loan authorizations:
Community facility:
Direct............................................. (2,800,000) (2,500,000) (2,800,000) ............... (+300,000)
Guaranteed......................................... (148,287) (500,000) (500,000) (+351,713) ...............
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Loan authorizations........................... 2,948,287 3,000,000 3,300,000 +351,713 +300,000
====================================================================================
Loan subsidies and grants:
Community facility:
Guaranteed......................................... 4,285 ............... ............... -4,285 ...............
Grants............................................. 30,000 50,000 30,000 ............... -20,000
Rural community development initiative................. 6,000 ............... 6,000 ............... +6,000
Economic impact initiative grants...................... 5,778 ............... 5,778 ............... +5,778
Tribal college grants.................................. 4,000 10,000 4,000 ............... -6,000
RCFP administrative expenses........................... ............... 147,591 ............... ............... -147,591
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Loan subsidies and grants.................. 50,063 207,591 45,778 -4,285 -161,813
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, grants and payments........................... 125,063 207,591 120,778 -4,285 -86,813
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Rural Housing Service......................... 2,018,280 1,858,840 2,091,061 +72,781 +232,221
(Loan authorization)......................................... (28,293,787) (27,260,000) (28,645,500) (+351,713) (+1,385,500)
====================================================================================
Rural Business--Cooperative Service:
Rural Business Program Account:
(Guaranteed business and industry loan authorization)...... (950,000) (1,000,000) (950,000) ............... (-50,000)
Loan subsidies and grants:
Guaranteed business and industry subsidy............... 22,040 20,500 19,475 -2,565 -1,025
Rural business development grants.................. 35,000 ............... 37,000 +2,000 +37,000
Delta Regional Authority and Appalachian Regional 8,000 ............... 9,000 +1,000 +9,000
Commission........................................
Administrative expenses............................ ............... 7,035 ............... ............... -7,035
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, RBP loan subsidies and grants......................... 65,040 27,535 65,475 +435 +37,940
====================================================================================
Intermediary Relending Program Fund Account:
(Loan authorization)....................................... (18,889) ............... (18,889) ............... (+18,889)
Loan subsidy............................................... 4,157 ............... 5,219 +1,062 +5,219
Administrative expenses.................................... 4,468 ............... 4,468 ............... +4,468
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Intermediary Relending Program Account................ 8,625 ............... 9,687 +1,062 +9,687
====================================================================================
Rural Economic Development Loans Program Account:
(Loan authorization)....................................... (50,000) ............... (50,000) ............... (+50,000)
Limit cushion of credit interest spending.................. (50,000) ............... (50,000) ............... (+50,000)
Rural Cooperative Development Grants:
Cooperative development.................................... 5,800 ............... 6,800 +1,000 +6,800
Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas............ 2,800 ............... 2,800 ............... +2,800
Grants to assist minority producers........................ 3,000 ............... 3,000 ............... +3,000
Value-added agricultural product market development........ 17,500 ............... ............... -17,500 ...............
Agriculture innovation centers............................. ............... ............... 3,000 +3,000 +3,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Rural Cooperative development grants.............. 29,100 ............... 15,600 -13,500 +15,600
====================================================================================
Rural Energy for America Program:
(Loan authorization)....................................... (7,500) ............... (20,000) (+12,500) (+20,000)
Loan subsidy and grants.................................... 335 ............... 706 +371 +706
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Rural Business--Cooperative Service............... 103,100 27,535 91,468 -11,632 +63,933
(Loan authorization)....................................... (1,026,389) (1,000,000) (1,038,889) (+12,500) (+38,889)
====================================================================================
Rural Utilities Service:
Rural water and waste disposal program account:
Loan authorizations:
Direct................................................. (1,400,000) (1,200,000) (1,400,000) ............... (+200,000)
Guaranteed............................................. (50,000) ............... (50,000) ............... (+50,000)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Loan authorizations........................... 1,450,000 1,200,000 1,450,000 ............... +250,000
====================================================================================
Loan subsidies and grants:
Direct subsidy......................................... ............... 54,720 63,840 +63,840 +9,120
Guaranteed subsidy..................................... 190 ............... 70 -120 +70
Water and waste revolving fund......................... 1,000 1,000 1,000 ............... ...............
Water well system grants............................... 1,500 993 1,500 ............... +507
Colonias and AK/HI grants.............................. 68,000 68,000 68,000 ............... ...............
Water and waste technical assistance................... 30,000 40,000 30,000 ............... -10,000
Circuit rider program.................................. 19,000 19,000 19,570 +570 +570
Solid waste management grants.......................... 4,000 4,000 4,000 ............... ...............
High energy cost grants................................ 10,000 ............... 10,000 ............... +10,000
Water and waste disposal grants........................ 400,000 324,917 272,000 -128,000 -52,917
306A(i)(2) grants...................................... 15,000 15,000 15,000 ............... ...............
WWDP Administrative expenses........................... ............... 18,149 ............... ............... -18,149
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Loan subsidies and grants..................... 548,690 545,779 484,980 -63,710 -60,799
====================================================================================
Rural Electrification and Telecommunications Loans
Program Account:
Loan authorizations:
Electric:
Direct, FFB........................................ (5,500,000) (5,500,000) (5,500,000) ............... ...............
Guaranteed underwriting............................ (750,000) ............... (750,000) ............... (+750,000)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Electric............................... 6,250,000 5,500,000 6,250,000 ............... +750,000
Telecommunications:
Direct, Treasury rate.............................. (345,000) (175,727) (345,000) ............... (+169,273)
Direct, FFB........................................ (345,000) (514,273) (345,000) ............... (-169,273)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Telecommunications..................... 690,000 690,000 690,000 ............... ...............
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Loan authorizations....................... 6,940,000 6,190,000 6,940,000 ............... +750,000
====================================================================================
Loan Subsidy:
Telecommunications Direct, Treasury Rate........... 1,725 1,933 3,795 +2,070 +1,862
RETLP administrative expenses.............................. 33,270 38,027 33,270 ............... -4,757
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Rural Electrification and Telecommunications 34,995 39,960 37,065 +2,070 -2,895
Loans Program Account.................................
(Loan authorization)................................... (6,940,000) (6,190,000) (6,940,000) ............... (+750,000)
====================================================================================
Broadband Program:
Loan authorizations:
Broadband telecommunications........................... (29,851) ............... (29,851) ............... (+29,851)
Loan subsidies and grants:
Distance learning and telemedicine:
Grants............................................. 34,000 43,600 34,000 ............... -9,600
Broadband telecommunications:
Direct............................................. 5,830 ............... 5,340 -490 +5,340
Grants............................................. 30,000 30,000 30,000 ............... ...............
Broadband E-Connect:
Loan subsidies and grants.......................... ............... 186,000 ............... ............... -186,000
Technical assistance and administrative expenses... ............... 14,000 ............... ............... -14,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Loan subsidies and grants................. 69,830 273,600 69,340 -490 -204,260
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Rural Utilities Service............................... 653,515 859,339 591,385 -62,130 -267,954
(Loan authorization)......................................... (8,419,851) (7,390,000) (8,419,851) ............... (+1,029,851)
====================================================================================
Total, title III, Rural Development Programs................. 3,011,730 2,938,057 3,016,719 +4,989 +78,662
(By transfer)............................................ (449,992) (455,051) (449,992) ............... (-5,059)
(Loan authorizations).................................... (37,740,027) (35,650,000) (38,104,240) (+364,213) (+2,454,240)
====================================================================================
TITLE IV--DOMESTIC FOOD PROGRAMS
Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer 800 800 800 ............... ...............
Services..........................................................
Food and Nutrition Service:
Child nutrition programs....................................... 23,082,781 23,943,216 23,544,569 +461,788 -398,647
School breakfast program equipment grants.................. 30,000 ............... 30,000 ............... +30,000
Demonstration projects (Summer EBT)........................ 28,000 ............... 28,000 ............... +28,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Child nutrition programs.......................... 23,140,781 23,943,216 23,602,569 +461,788 -340,647
====================================================================================
Special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and 6,075,000 5,750,000 6,000,000 -75,000 +250,000
children (WIC)................................................
Supplemental nutrition assistance program:
(Food stamp program)....................................... 70,475,923 66,069,910 66,162,289 -4,313,634 +92,379
Reserve................................................ 3,000,000 3,000,000 3,000,000 ............... ...............
FDPIR nutrition education services..................... 998 ............... 998 ............... +998
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Food stamp program............................ 73,476,921 69,069,910 69,163,287 -4,313,634 +93,377
====================================================================================
Commodity assistance program:
Commodity supplemental food program........................ 222,891 ............... 245,000 +22,109 +245,000
Farmers market nutrition program........................... 18,548 ............... 18,548 ............... +18,548
Emergency food assistance program.......................... 79,630 54,401 79,630 ............... +25,229
Pacific island and disaster assistance..................... 1,070 1,070 1,070 ............... ...............
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Commodity assistance program...................... 322,139 55,471 344,248 +22,109 +288,777
====================================================================================
Nutrition programs administration.............................. 164,688 152,041 160,891 -3,797 +8,850
Congressional Hunger Center................................ (2,000) ............... (2,000) ............... (+2,000)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Food and Nutrition Service........................ 103,179,529 98,970,638 99,270,995 -3,908,534 +300,357
====================================================================================
Total, title IV, Domestic Food Programs...................... 103,180,329 98,971,438 99,271,795 -3,908,534 +300,357
====================================================================================
TITLE V--FOREIGN ASSISTANCE AND RELATED PROGRAMS
Office of the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural 875 875 875 ............... ...............
Affairs...........................................................
Office of Codex Alimentarius....................................... 3,976 4,775 4,775 +799 ...............
Foreign Agricultural Service
Salaries and expenses.............................................. 213,890 192,824 217,920 +4,030 +25,096
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Salaries and expenses (including transfers)........... 213,890 192,824 217,920 +4,030 +25,096
====================================================================================
Food for Peace Title I Direct Credit and Food for Progress Program
Account:
Administrative expenses........................................ 142 135 142 ............... +7
Food for Peace Title II Grants:
Expenses....................................................... 1,500,000 ............... 1,716,000 +216,000 +1,716,000
Commodity Credit Corporation Export Loans Program Account:
Administrative expenses........................................ 8,845 6,381 6,381 -2,464 ...............
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, CCC Export Loans Program Account...................... 8,845 6,381 6,381 -2,464 ...............
====================================================================================
McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition 210,255 ............... 210,255 ............... +210,255
program grants....................................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, title V, Foreign Assistance and Related Programs...... 1,937,983 204,990 2,156,348 +218,365 +1,951,358
====================================================================================
TITLE VI--RELATED AGENCIES AND FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
Salaries and expenses, direct appropriation........................ 3,068,678 3,239,524 3,148,678 +80,000 -90,846
Prescription drug user fees.................................... (1,010,323) (1,062,367) (1,074,714) (+64,391) (+12,347)
Medical device user fees....................................... (204,730) (219,527) (220,142) (+15,412) (+615)
Human generic drug user fees................................... (501,721) (511,682) (513,223) (+11,502) (+1,541)
Biosimilar biological products user fees....................... (38,847) (39,618) (41,923) (+3,076) (+2,305)
Animal drug user fees.......................................... (30,331) (30,524) (30,611) (+280) (+87)
Animal generic drug user fees.................................. (18,335) (18,700) (20,151) (+1,816) (+1,451)
Tobacco product user fees...................................... (712,000) (712,000) (712,000) ............... ...............
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, user fees (appropriated)........................... (2,516,287) (2,594,418) (2,612,764) (+96,477) (+18,346)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal (including appropriated user fees).................. (5,584,965) (5,833,942) (5,761,442) (+176,477) (-72,500)
Mammography user fees.......................................... (20,522) (21,351) (21,351) (+829) ...............
Export user fees............................................... (4,696) (4,696) (4,696) ............... ...............
Color certification user fees.................................. (10,062) (10,534) (10,534) (+472) ...............
Food and Feed Recall user fees................................. (1,434) (1,492) (1,492) (+58) ...............
Food Reinspection fees......................................... (6,414) (6,673) (6,673) (+259) ...............
Voluntary qualified importer program fees...................... (5,300) (5,515) (5,515) (+215) ...............
Pharmacy compounding fees...................................... (1,446) (1,676) (1,676) (+230) ...............
Priority review vouchers (PRV) pediatric disease............... (7,686) (7,997) (7,997) (+311) ...............
Third party auditor............................................ (712) (742) (742) (+30) ...............
Over-the-Counter Monograph fees................................ (22,000) (28,400) (28,400) (+6,400) ...............
Increased export certification fees (legislative proposal)..... ............... (4,280) ............... ............... (-4,280)
Innovative food products fees (legislative proposal)........... ............... (28,000) ............... ............... (-28,000)
Expand tobacco products fees (legislative proposal)............ ............... (100,000) ............... ............... (-100,000)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, FDA user fees...................................... (2,596,559) (2,815,774) (2,701,840) (+105,281) (-113,934)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, FDA (including user fees).......................... (5,665,237) (6,055,298) (5,850,518) (+185,281) (-204,780)
Buildings and facilities........................................... 11,788 11,788 11,788 ............... ...............
FDA Innovation account............................................. 70,000 75,000 75,000 +5,000 ...............
Offset of appropriation pursuant to Section 1002(b)(3)(B) of the -70,000 -75,000 -75,000 -5,000 ...............
21st Century Cures Act (Public Law 114-255).......................
Spending of FDA innovation account (transfer)...................... 70,000 75,000 75,000 +5,000 ...............
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, FDA (w/enacted user fees only)........................ (5,677,025) (6,067,086) (5,862,306) (+185,281) (-204,780)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, FDA (excluding user fees)............................. 3,080,466 3,251,312 3,160,466 +80,000 -90,846
====================================================================================
INDEPENDENT AGENCIES
Commodity Futures Trading Commission............................... ............... ............... ............... ............... ...............
Farm Credit Administration (limitation on administrative expenses). (74,600) (76,000) (77,000) (+2,400) (+1,000)
====================================================================================
Total, title VI, Related Agencies and Food and Drug 3,080,466 3,251,312 3,160,466 +80,000 -90,846
Administration..............................................
====================================================================================
TITLE VII--GENERAL PROVISIONS
Rural Energy Savings Program....................................... 10,000 ............... 10,000 ............... +10,000
Farm to School..................................................... 5,000 ............... 5,000 ............... +5,000
Healthy Food Financing Initiative.................................. 2,000 ............... 2,000 ............... +2,000
Citrus Greening.................................................... 8,500 ............... 8,500 ............... +8,500
Broadband Pilot.................................................... 125,000 ............... ............... -125,000 ...............
Section 313 funds.............................................. (425,000) ............... (128,000) (-297,000) (+128,000)
NIFA Military Veteran Grants....................................... 5,000 ............... 5,000 ............... +5,000
Centers of Excellence.............................................. 5,000 ............... ............... -5,000 ...............
Healthy Fluid Milk................................................. ............... ............... 1,000 +1,000 +1,000
Micro-grants for Food Security..................................... ............... ............... 2,000 +2,000 +2,000
Water and Waste.................................................... 75,000 ............... ............... -75,000 ...............
RMAP............................................................... 3,000 ............... ............... -3,000 ...............
Food for Progress.................................................. 10,000 ............... ............... -10,000 ...............
Food for Progress.................................................. 6,000 ............... ............... -6,000 ...............
Water Bank program................................................. 4,000 ............... 4,000 ............... +4,000
Geographic Disadvantaged farmers\1\................................ 1,996 ............... 2,000 +4 +2,000
Food for Peace..................................................... 216,000 ............... ............... -216,000 ...............
Maturing mortgage pilot............................................ 1,000 ............... 1,000 ............... +1,000
FSA ARC pilot...................................................... 5,000 ............... ............... -5,000 ...............
Conservation Reserve Program Pilot................................. 1,000 ............... 1,000 ............... +1,000
Distance Learning Telemedicine..................................... 16,000 ............... ............... -16,000 ...............
Fruit Fly Quarantine............................................... 9,000 ............... ............... -9,000 ...............
Treasury symbol 128/90600 (rescission)............................. -5,000 ............... ............... +5,000 ...............
WIC (rescission)................................................... -500,000 -1,000,000 -800,000 -300,000 +200,000
Rental Assistance Program (rescission)............................. ............... -40,000 ............... ............... +40,000
Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program Account (rescission)........ ............... -100,000 ............... ............... +100,000
RCFP (rescission).................................................. ............... -4,200 ............... ............... +4,200
Foreign Agricultural Service S&E (rescission)...................... ............... -8,800 ............... ............... +8,800
Relocation expenses................................................ ............... ............... 25,000 +25,000 +25,000
Dairy Innovation................................................... ............... ............... 20,000 +20,000 +20,000
RISE grants........................................................ ............... ............... 5,000 +5,000 +5,000
FDA Buildings and Facilities....................................... ............... ............... 20,000 +20,000 +20,000
Mitigation Banking................................................. ............... ............... 5,000 +5,000 +5,000
Electric refinancing............................................... ............... ............... -15,073 -15,073 -15,073
Waste Water Pilot.................................................. ............... ............... 5,000 +5,000 +5,000
====================================================================================
Total, title VII, General Provisions......................... 3,496 -1,153,000 -693,573 -697,069 +459,427
====================================================================================
OTHER APPROPRIATIONS
ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DISASTER RELIEF ACT,
2019
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of the Secretary (emergency)................................ 3,005,442 ............... ............... -3,005,442 ...............
Emergency Forest Restoration Program (emergency)................... 480,000 ............... ............... -480,000 ...............
Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations (emergency).............. 435,000 ............... ............... -435,000 ...............
Rural Community Facilities Program Account (emergency)............. 150,000 ............... ............... -150,000 ...............
Grant for Puerto Rico (emergency).................................. 600,000 ............... ............... -600,000 ...............
Grant for Northern Marianas (emergency)............................ 25,200 ............... ............... -25,200 ...............
Crop insurance purchasing requirement (emergency).................. 8,000 7,000 7,000 -1,000 ...............
Revenue protection insurance for hemp (emergency).................. ............... 1,000 1,000 +1,000 ...............
Exempt AGI provisions (emergency).................................. 15,000 ............... ............... -15,000 ...............
Independent study for Puerto Rico (emergency)...................... 5,000 ............... ............... -5,000 ...............
Grant for American Samoa (emergency)............................... 18,000 ............... ............... -18,000 ...............
Emergency Conservation Program (emergency)......................... 558,000 ............... ............... -558,000 ...............
====================================================================================
Total, Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster 5,299,642 8,000 8,000 -5,291,642 ...............
Relief Act..................................................
====================================================================================
Grand total.................................................. 157,491,473 148,257,371 152,098,452 -5,393,021 +3,841,081
Appropriations........................................... (152,696,831) (149,402,371) (152,890,452) (+193,621) (+3,488,081)
Emergency appropriations................................. (5,299,642) (8,000) (8,000) (-5,291,642) ...............
Rescissions.............................................. (-505,000) (-1,153,000) (-800,000) (-295,000) (+353,000)
(By transfer)................................................ (1,020,440) (3,490,558) (1,020,440) ............... (-2,470,118)
(Loan authorization)......................................... (45,727,695) (43,324,267) (46,142,041) (+414,346) (+2,817,774)
(Limitation on administrative expenses)...................... (195,827) (221,982) (198,227) (+2,400) (-23,755)
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