House passes ag appropriations bill containing potato industry priorities

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the fiscal year 2027 Agriculture and FDA Appropriations bill on a 213-210 vote with several potato industry priorities intact.

The bill, passed June 4, includes $4 million in funding for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) Potato Research Special Grants, which was initially zeroed out in the President’s budget released in April.

The bill also includes report language that prevents USDA from limiting potato access to the school breakfast program and directs USDA to urgently fill Agricultural Research Service positions, as well as language prohibiting the USDA Secretary from imposing any cost-sharing requirements on the Specialty Crop Block Grant program.

The measure also includes economic relief report language directing USDA to administer such aid through the MASC program.

The Senate Appropriations Committee is expected mark up its Agriculture and FDA spending bill, along with five other spending measures, in mid-June.