Jun 17, 2024Appropriations bill includes record funding for potato breeding research
A fiscal year 2025 agriculture appropriations bill passed by the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee includes a record $4.5 million for National Institute of Food and Agriculture potato breeding research.
The bill provides $22 billion for the USDA overall and $1.7 billion for NIFA, according to a summary released by subcommittee chair Tom Cole. The USDA funding is $308 million below the fiscal year 2024 enacted level and $2.5 billion below President Joe Biden’s budget request, according to the summary. The NIFA funding, which includes level funding for land-grant universities and reduces funding for several low-priority research programs, is $5 million below the FY24 enacted level.
The potato breeding research funding represents a $500,000 increase over current levels and would be in the highest level in history if maintained in the full year bill, according to the National Potato Council.
Full report language will be made available closer to the full committee markup, scheduled for July 10.
“For more than 30 years, the National Potato Council and our state partners have worked with our allies in Congress to secure funding for NIFA’s Potato Research Special Grants,” NPC CEO Kam Quarles said in a news release. “The significant funding increase included in the FY25 bill will help support the future of the U.S. potato industry through the funding of competitive potato breeding projects across the country. NPC welcomes news of this additional funding and thanks the good work done by our grower leaders and state partners who have advocated for this additional funding.”
The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act provides a total discretionary allocation of $25.9 billion, which is $355 million below FY24 enacted level and $2.7 billion below the president’s budget request.
Other provisions include a $33.8 million increase for Food Safety and Inspection Service meat and poultry inspectors and the continuation of a program to increase inspection of foreign drug manufacturing facilities in China and India.
The bill summary is available here, and bill text is available here.
