House ag committee proposes billions for ag research and infrastructure
September 15, 2021
The House Agriculture Committee’s piece of the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package will include billions of dollars for USDA to manage national forests, upgrade biofuel infrastructure, and conduct climate research. The bill includes a massive $7.75 billion investment in agriculture climate research and infrastructure, including $500 million for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), $380 million for the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority, and $250 million for USDA’s climate hubs.
| Agricultural Research Facilities | $3,650 million |
| Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) | $500 million |
| Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AgARDA) | $380 million |
| Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) | $540 million |
| Smith-Lever Cooperative Extension | $600 million |
| Sustainable Agriculture Research Education (SARE) | $500 million |
| Research Equipment Grants | $100 million |
| Urban Agriculture | $65 million |
| Genome to Phenome Initiative | $20 million |
| Agricultural Research Service | $250 million |
Many of the programs slated to receive funding increases have been part of the ASA, CSSA, and SSSA advocacy portfolio for years. Over the past several months, ASA, CSSA, and SSSA have been working with Congress, the administration, and other ag research stakeholders to highlight the research and infrastructure needs of the agriculture research community.
The path forward for reconciliation remains unclear. To satisfy Senators Manchin and Sinema, the package will have to be smaller. Much smaller according to Sen. Manchin who voiced support for a $1-1.5 trillion package. Whatever the final size, ASA, CSSA, and SSSA are working to make sure agriculture research and infrastructure investments are included.