Kirk Satterfield
Aug 05, 2021
WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. The bill would provide nearly $26 billion in discretionary funding for agriculture and nutrition programs in the coming fiscal year, including $7 billion in funding for agricultural producers who suffered losses due to natural disasters in 2020 and 2021.
Other components of the bill include $937 million to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); $1.178 billion for the Farm Service Agency (FSA), an increase of $35.4 million above the FY21 enacted level, while prohibiting the closure of FSA county offices and providing resources for IT improvements and personnel across county offices; $1.76 billion for Food for Peace Title II Grants, an increase of $20 million; and $245 million for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education program, an increase of $15 million.
“USA Rice appreciates the work of the Appropriations Committee towards funding agriculture and related programs for the coming Federal government fiscal year and we applaud the inclusion of over $7 billion in disaster assistance to help farmers with losses due to drought, flooding, and other natural disasters in 2020 and 2021,” said Kirk Satterfield, Mississippi rice farmer and chair of the USA Rice Farmers. “We’ll continue working diligently with our champions in Congress to secure the U.S. rice industry’s funding priorities.”
The Committee and full Senate still need to pass nine additional appropriations measures by September 30, the end of the fiscal year. The House of Representatives has passed seven of its 12 bills to date. Ultimately, the House and Senate will need to reach agreement on all 12 measures with President Biden signing them into law ahead of September 30 to avoid a government shutdown, otherwise, a continuing resolution will be required to keep the government funded until agreement is reached.