For Immediate Release
Contact: Laura Zaks
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net
Tel. 347.563.6408
Release: Congressional FY 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Bill Totals $1.5 Trillion
NSAC Welcomes Increased Support for Farmers and Rural Communities
Washington, DC, March 9, 2022 – Today Congress released a $1.5 trillion omnibus appropriations package, H.R. 2471, for fiscal year (FY) 2022. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) is pleased to see significant increases in several critical priority areas to strengthen the resilience of rural communities and bolster sustainable food systems.
“The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauds appropriators for coming together in a bipartisan manner to provide robust funding for many priorities of the sustainable agriculture community. This brings us a step closer to making the transformative investments we need to address climate change, increase support for sustainable agriculture research, and bolster resilient regional food systems,” said Eric Deeble, NSAC Policy Director.
The overall package includes $25.125 billion in discretionary funding for food and agriculture programs. This represents a $1.075 billion increase above fiscal year 2021.The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) research programs are provided with a number of substantial increases. These include: $5 million for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, bringing the total up to $45 million; $10 million for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) programs, bringing that total to $445 million; and another $500,000 for the organic transition research program for a total of $7.5 million.
There are also a number of important investments in programs that support local and regional food systems. These include: an additional $1 million for the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program for at total of $13 million; $5 million for the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) for a total of $26 million; and $1.5 million for the Office of Urban Agriculture, bringing that funding total up to $8.5 million.
“Agricultural research is a fundamental component of helping farmers and ranchers build resilience to the increasing impacts of climate change. NSAC is pleased to see expanded support for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, the Organic Transition Research Program, as well as for the Agriculture Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture,” said Deeble.
While the bill increases support for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), it does not include school meal waivers which means that Coronavirus pandemic-era federal programs to feed school children will soon expire.
The House is likely to vote on the bill later today, along with a measure to continue current spending levels until next week, to give the Senate time to consider the package.
For more detailed information about the FY2022 Appropriations visit NSAC’s Agriculture Appropriations Chart.
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About the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more: https://sustainableagriculture.net/
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