2013 Farm Bill and Agricultural Appropriations Update

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Senate Passes 2013 Farm Bill; House Appropriations Committee approves 2014 Ag Appropriations Bill

One week ago today, the Senate passed its version of the 2013 Farm Bill, which received strong bipartisan support, though 25 Republicans and 2 Democrats voted against the bill in a vote of 66-27. The bill, which finances a wide array of programs, did not come to a vote in the House last year, leading to the extension of the 2008 bill to September 30, 2013. The House Agriculture Committee approved its version of the bill in May and floor action in the House on that bill could begin as early as this week. Read more about the current state of the Farm bill from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and The New York Times.

On June 13, the House Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year (FY) 2014 agricultural appropriations bill. This legislation sets discretionary funding at $19.5 billion, $1.3 billion below the fiscal year 2013 enacted level and about equal to the current level caused by automatic sequestration spending cuts. More about this legislation can be obtained directly from the House Appropriations Committee website and NSAC’s perspective can be viewed here.

Beginningfarmers.org last reported on the Farm Bill here.