News
$26.6 billion ag funding bill approved by House Appropriations subcommittee
A House Appropriations subcommittee has passed its fiscal year 2022 funding bill, which would provide $26.6 billion for agriculture, rural development, FDA, and related agencies.
U.S. Congressman Jeff Fortenberry is a committee member.
“The agricultural appropriations bills provide stabilization policy for farmers and ranchers to create conditions for help for those with food insecurity and a lot of new novel ideas to create the farm of the future for which I’m particularly excited,” he says.
The Nebraska Republican says he originally had an objection to the 10 percent funding increase, but “the base bill builds upon our important work of ensuring stabilization for our farmers and ranchers, conservation programs, as well as expanding the agricultural family. There are new movements across America to create the conditions for linking the farm to the family, the urban to the rural, new and local regionalized economies around specialty foods, and that’s all very exciting.”
The bill would provide $347 million across the USDA to address the impacts of climate change. It would also: help ensure 45 million people in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-eligible families access benefits; increase funding for rural broadband; increase funding to address maternal and infant nutrition; and help ensure equitable participation in USDA programs.
Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro says the funding increase will help build resiliency in the food system by investing in family farmers and connecting them to local and regional markets.
The bill will now go to the full Committee for markup.
