On Thursday, July 20, the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved an agriculture spending bill for the 2018 fiscal year. The bill provides $145.4 billion in both mandatory and discretionary funding, including $2.55 billion for agricultural research. Overall, the bill is $4.85 billion above the President’s budget request and $7.9 billion below the fiscal year 2017 enacted level.

Specifically, the bill provides $1.18 billion for the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) where the aerial application research unit is housed. This is a $12 million increase from the 2017 fiscal year. The bill does not allow for the termination of any research programs or the closure of laboratories. Additionally, NAAA ensured language was included in the Senate committee report emphasizing the value of aerial application research. The report reads in part: “The committee recognizes the importance of the ARS Aerial Application Technology Program. The program conducts innovative research making aerial applications more efficient, effective and precise. Research for aerial application serves the public good as a vital tool for the future, as agriculture strives to meet the food, fiber, and bio-energy demands of a growing population”.

In contrast, the House agriculture appropriations bill cut funding for the ARS by 3 percent. However, NAAA again successfully pushed for language in the House committee report to the bill indicating Congress’s continued support of the USDA-ARS Aerial Application Technology Program.

The next step will be for the full House and Senate to enact the bills and then reconcile them before a final spending bill is sent to President Trump for his signature. Both spending measures are funded above President Trump’s original budget request. NAAA will keep the membership informed of federal agricultural spending, particularly as it pertains to research for aerial application technology conducted at USDA’s Agricultural Research.