Ag Spending Bills for FY 2025 Advance in House, Senate

Congress is unlikely to enact many laws this summer, but lawmakers in both chambers this week made progress on advancing their Fiscal Year 2025 USDA and FDA spending bills. On Wednesday, the House Appropriations Committee approved its FY ‘25 agriculture spending bill, and the Senate Appropriations Committee followed suit on Thursday. The House may bring its bill to the floor before the August recess, but as of now, the Senate does not appear poised to bring up individual appropriations bills for votes prior to the election. The two chambers will have to reconcile the different spending levels in the bills before a final version can be enacted into law.

Some of the highlights of the House appropriations bill (which can be found online here) include:

• WIC Dairy Allotment – The bill includes NMPF-backed language championed by Reps. Elise Stefanik, R-NY, and Josh Harder, D-CA, to reverse the reduction in the maximum monthly milk allotment in USDA’s final foods package rule for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
• FRSAN – The bill includes $10 million for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network.
• Dairy Innovation – The bill includes $8 million for the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives.
• HFMIP – The bill includes $3 million for the Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives Program.
• H5N1 – The report includes language voicing the committee’s concern with the ongoing H5N1 outbreak in the dairy industry and noting sensitivity to the effects of a voluntary vaccine on global trade relationships. The language directs USDA to report to the committee on its vaccine research, development, and approvals and to engage with other agencies to evaluate the potential for using vaccines in dairy cows. Finally, the language notes that the committee understands concerns among dairy farmers regarding data collection efforts to confirm H5N1 infections without indemnity assistance assurances and encourages USDA to consider providing indemnity assistance to farmers as appropriate.
• DRP – The report includes language urging USDA’s Risk Management Agency to work with Congress to identify which improvements may be needed to the Dairy-Revenue Protection program to provide better long-term support for producers. NMPF worked with Rep. David Valadao, R-CA, to secure this language and is partnering with him and Rep. Jim Costa, D-CA, to determine from USDA the adjustments needed to DRP to increase the premium subsidy to provide affordable risk management during periods of long-term price decline.

Meanwhile, the Senate bill to fund USDA and FDA is available here. Highlights include:

• IFEED – The bill includes the Innovative FEED Act (S. 1842), providing us an important vehicle for getting this bill into law. NMPF worked with Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) to obtain this provision in the bill.
• FRSAN – The bill includes $10 million for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, same as the House version.
• Dairy Innovation – The bill includes $17 million for the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives, about double the House allocation.
• HFMIP – The bill includes $4 million for the Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives Program, slightly more than the House.
• WIC Dairy Allotment – The report includes language directing USDA to submit a report to Congress comparing the WIC percentage of redemption rates under the milk and dairy categories under implementation of the WIC foods package rule with redemption rates prior to implementation.
• H5N1 – The report includes language encouraging USDA to continue coordinating with state animal health officials to mitigate the spread of the virus. The language also directs APHIS to brief the committee monthly on its use of Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds to address H5N1. The report includes further language urging AMS to use CCC funds to bolster the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives and other programs to assist with the H5N1 outbreak.