For other versions of this document, see http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL31095 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Order Code RL31095 Emergency Funding for Agriculture: A Brief History of Supplemental Appropriations, FY1989-FY2009 Updated November 26, 2008 Ralph M. Chite Section Research Manager Resources, Science, and Industry Division Emergency Funding for Agriculture: A Brief History of Supplemental Appropriations, FY1989-FY2009 Summary From FY1989 through FY2009 (to date), 36 appropriations, authorization, or farm disaster acts added approximately $61.8 billion in supplemental funding for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs (excluding the Forest Service, which is funded annually under the Interior appropriations bill). Approximately $47.8 billion, or just under 80% of the total amount, was provided within the last 10 years. Since FY1989, a large portion ($43.7 billion) of the total supplemental funding has been paid directly to farmers, primarily through two mechanisms: "market loss payments" ($21.4 billion, all from FY1999 to FY2001) to compensate for low farm commodity prices, and crop disaster payments ($22.34 billion) paid to any producer who experienced a major crop loss caused by a natural disaster. The remaining $18.1 billion has funded a wide array of other USDA programs, including livestock feed assistance programs, farm conservation programs, specialty crop assistance, farm loans, and non-farm USDA programs such as overseas food aid, food and nutrition programs, and rural development and housing assistance. In recent years, virtually all of the supplemental spending has been provided under an emergency designation from Congress and the Administration, meaning that the new spending did not have to be offset with comparable reductions in other programs. However, in some cases a portion of the supplemental is offset by spending reductions in other programs. Total annual funding additions in the 36 acts providing supplemental economic, farm disaster, and other assistance through USDA programs since FY1989 are as follows: FY1989: $ 3.4 billion FY2000: $ 14.8 billion FY1990: $ 1.5 billion FY2001: $ 11.3 billion FY1991: $ 0 FY2002: $ 0.6 billion FY1992: $ 1.0 billion FY2003: $ 3.6 billion FY1993: $ 1.9 billion FY2004: $ 0.2 billion FY1994: $ 3.1 billion FY2005: $ 3.8 billion FY1995: $ 0.6 billion FY2006: $ 2.2 billion FY1996: $ 0.1 billion FY2007: $ 3.65 billion FY1997: $ 0.5 billion FY2008: $ 2.75 billion FY1998: $ 0.2 billion FY2009: $ 0.40 billion FY1999: $ 6.6 billion Grand Total, FY1989-FY2009 (to date): $61.8 billion Contents Table 1. History of Supplemental Appropriations, FY1989-FY2009 . . . . . . . . . . 1 Emergency Funding for Agriculture: A Brief History of Supplemental Appropriations, FY1989-FY2009 Table 1. History of Supplemental Appropriations, FY1989-FY2009 Act Major Agricultural Provisions Disaster Assistance Authorized USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to use Act of 1988 its authority to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, in order to provide direct disaster payments to farmers for 1988 crop losses using (P.L. 100-387, payment formula in this statute. Permanently authorized livestock August 11, 1988) feed assistance programs. No specific appropriation made, nor limitations placed on payment formulas in the act. CCC outlays in FY1989 were $3.386 billion for direct disaster payments under this act. Disaster Assistance Authorized the CCC to provide disaster payments to farmers for Act of 1989 1989 crop losses. Payments were not direct cash payments, but instead were made in the form of certificates redeemable for (P.L. 101-82, Government-owned grain. No specific appropriation, nor August 14, 1989) limitation placed on formula payment. The CCC ultimately provided $1.48 billion in commodity certificates in FY1990 under this act. Dire Emergency Authorized the CCC to make $1.75 billion in direct disaster Supplemental payments using a payment formula authorized by the 1990 farm Appropriations for bill (P.L. 101-624). Of this total amount, $995 million was Natural Disasters and available for 1990 or 1991 crop losses. The remaining $755 Operation Desert million was made available for 1990, 1991 or 1992 crop losses, Shield/Desert Storm pending a request as an emergency designation by the Administration, which was later granted. $100 million of the total (P.L. 102-229, was reserved for program crops planted in 1991 for harvest in December 12, 1991) 1992. Dire Emergency In response to Hurricane Andrew and other disasters, P.L. 102-368 Supplemental provided a total of $1.093 billion in farm and nonfarm disaster Appropriations Act, assistance through various USDA programs, including: 1992; Hurricane Andrew, Typhoon $382 million in farm disaster payments immediately to supplement Omar, Hurricane the $755 million made available by P.L. 102-229 (see above). Iniki, etc. Authorized an additional $100 million for disaster payments, pending a separate budget request by the President (later granted in (P.L. 102-368, 1993). September 23, 1992) CRS-2 Act Major Agricultural Provisions Also included in the total is $711.5 million in other USDA- administered emergency assistance, including: -- $400 million in additional food stamp funding for disaster areas; -- $72.3 million for various rural development loan and grant programs, particularly for repair and rehabilitation of water and waste systems damaged by natural disasters; -- $62 million for emergency watershed programs (repair damages to waterways and watersheds near farmland); -- $48 million for the Tree Assistance Program (cost- sharing program to replant tree stands destroyed by a disaster); -- $43.285 million in loan subsidy for USDA to make $162.5 million in additional emergency disaster loans; -- $40.25 million for various rural housing loan and grant programs; -- $27.5 million for the Emergency Conservation Program (rehabilitation of farmland following a disaster); -- $15 million to restore damaged federal research facilities; -- $3.2 million for salaries and expenses to administer emergency programs. Supplemental The act allowed USDA to apply the unexpended authority for Appropriations Act of disaster payments (approximately $300 million) in P.L. 102-229 1993 and P.L. 102-368 to make disaster payments for reductions in crop quality caused by any natural disaster affecting a 1990 through (P.L. 103-50, 1993 crop. Also allowed these unexpended funds to be used for July 2, 1993) any future crop losses (1993 through 1995) associated with Hurricane Andrew (1992). The act also made available approximately $145 million to various other rural development and housing programs, all of which was offset by a comparable amount of rescissions in other USDA programs. Emergency The act provided approximately $2.7 billion in total USDA Supplemental assistance, including $2.5 billion in farm disaster payments for Appropriations for losses associated with the Midwest flood of 1993, and other Relief from the Major, agricultural disasters. Of this $2.5 billion, the act provided a Widespread Flooding specific appropriation of $1.050 billion immediately, another $300 in the Midwest Act of million in contingent appropriations, and allowed the CCC to 1993 borrow as much as necessary to fully fund the payment formula (which later amounted to approximately $1.1 billion in additional (P.L. 103-75, borrowing). August 12, 1993) Also included within the total is $60 million for Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations; $55.4 million for rural development programs;. $30 million for the Emergency Conservation Program; $21.8 million for farm loan programs; $21 million for rural housing programs; $12 million for the administration of disaster programs; and $3.5 million for the Extension Service. CRS-3 Act Major Agricultural Provisions Emergency Enacted in response to the major California earthquake in Jan. Supplemental 1993, the act provided $376.1 million to USDA programs, Appropriations Act of including $340.5 million for Watershed and Flood Prevention 1994 Operations; $25 million for the Emergency Conservation Program; and $1.4 million to the Extension Service. It also allowed the (P.L. 103-211, Commodity Credit Corporation to use its borrowing authority to February 12, 1994) fund the Tree Assistance Program for any 1993 crop year disaster. CCC spending for 1993 TAP-eligible losses was $9.2 million, included in the $376.1 million total. The act also allowed nursery crops to be included in 1993 crop loss payments under P.L. 103-75 above. Approximately $200 million of the additional spending was offset by rescissions made to various USDA programs. Agricultural, Rural The regular FY1995 appropriations act for agriculture required the Development, FDA, CCC to provide such sums as may be necessary on an emergency and Related Agencies basis to fully fund the disaster payment formula in the 1990 farm Appropriations Act, bill for 1994 crop losses, including aquaculture but excluding 1995 ornamental fish. It also provided payments for subsequent 1995 and 1996 orchard losses caused by a 1994 freeze. CCC outlays for (P.L. 103-330, 1994 crop losses amounted to approximately $600 million. September 30, 1994) Omnibus Consolidated In response to Hurricanes Bertha and Marilyn, Pacific Northwest Rescissions and flooding, Northeast blizzards and other disasters, the act provided Appropriations Act of $129.4 million for various USDA programs, including $80.5 1996 million for Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations, $30 million for the Emergency Conservation Program; $11 million for (P.L. 104-134, rural utility grants; and $7.6 million for rural housing repair loans April 26, 1996) and grants. Agricultural, Rural A supplemental provision in the regular FY1997 agriculture Development, FDA, appropriations act made available $32.244 million in loan subsidy and Related Agencies to support $110 million in emergency disaster farm loans. Appropriations Act, 1997 (P.L. 104-180, August 6, 1996) Omnibus Consolidated In response to Hurricanes Fran and Hortense and other disasters, Appropriations Act, the P.L. 104-208 provided $88 million for USDA flood assistance 1997 programs, including $63 million for Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations, and $25 million for the Emergency (P.L. 104-208, Conservation Program. September 30, 1996) 1997 Emergency The act made available $393 million in supplemental USDA Supplemental assistance including, $166 million for Watershed and Flood Appropriations Act for Prevention Operations; $76 million for the WIC program; $70 Recovery from million for the Emergency Conservation Program; $50 million for Natural Disasters, and the Livestock Indemnity Program, (which pays farmers a certain for Overseas Peace- amount for each head of cattle lost to a disaster); $18 million in keeping Efforts, Inclu- loan subsidy to support $70 million in additional USDA ding Those in Bosnia emergency disaster loans; $9 million for the Tree Assistance Program; and $4 million for loan subsidies and grants for the Rural (P.L. 105-18, Utilities Assistance Program, for the repair of water and sewer June 12, 1997) systems following a natural disaster. CRS-4 Act Major Agricultural Provisions 1998 Supplemental In response to El Nino-driven storms and other natural disasters, Appropriations and the act provided a total of $159.8 million in emergency farm Rescissions Act spending, including $80 million for the Watershed and Flood Prevention Program; $34 million for the Emergency Conservation (P.L. 105-174, Program; $14 million for the Tree Assistance Program; $21 million May 1, 1998) in loan subsidy to support $87.4 million in additional emergency disaster loans; $4 million for the Livestock Indemnity Program; and $6.8 million for dairy farmer disaster payments. Approximately $47.5 million in rescissions to various other USDA programs was made to offset a portion of the cost of new spending. Omnibus Provided a total of $5.893 billion in emergency supplemental Appropriations Act of appropriations to USDA, primarily for assistance to farmers for 1999 natural disasters and low farm commodity prices, including: (P.L. 105-277, -- $3.057 billion in "market loss payments" made to grain, October 21, 1998) cotton and dairy farmers in response to low farm commodity prices; -- $1.3 billion in farm disaster payments for 1998 crop losses; -- $575 million in disaster payments for multi-year crop losses; -- $400 million in premium discounts for growers of a 1999 crop who purchase crop insurance coverage; -- $200 million for livestock feed assistance (for livestock farmers who lost on farm feed to a disaster); -- $50 million in Alaska salmon assistance; -- $40 million for USDA Farm Service Agency salaries to administer various farm assistance programs; -- $31.4 million in loan subsidy to support a variety of existing direct and guaranteed farm loan programs; -- $27 million for recourse loans to mohair growers; -- $25 million for Food for Progress, an overseas food aid program; -- $1 million for honey recourse loans. 1999 Emergency Provided nearly $723 million in emergency assistance for USDA Supplemental programs, including: Appropriations Act -- $149.2 million in emergency food assistance to the (P.L. 106-31, Balkans through the P.L. 480 program; May 21, 1999) -- $145 million for USDA's Section 32 program, to help stabilize farm prices of surplus commodities; -- $105.6 million in loan subsidy to support additional loans of $1.095 billion for various USDA farm loan programs; -- $95 million for Watershed and Flood Prevention; -- $70 million for the Livestock Assistance Program to reimburse farmers for the loss of on-farm feed to a disaster; -- $42.75 million in salaries and expenses of USDA's Farm Service Agency, for administering emergency programs; CRS-5 Act Major Agricultural Provisions -- $32 million for various rural development programs in response to a hurricane in Puerto Rico; -- $28 million for the Emergency Conservation Program; -- $28 million for Conservation Reserve Program technical assistance; -- $20 million for migrant and seasonal farm worker assistance; -- $3 million for livestock indemnity payments. Agricultural, Rural Provided $8.7 billion in FY2000 emergency funding for USDA Development, Food programs in response to low farm commodity prices and various and Drug natural disasters, including: Administration, and Related Agencies -- $6.5 billion in "market loss" payments to compensate Appropriations Act, growers of specific farm commodities for low market FY2000 prices including $5.5 billion to grains and cotton; $475 million to oilseeds; $328 million to tobacco; $125 (P.L. 106-78, million for dairy; and $42 million for peanuts; October 22, 1999) -- $1.2 billion in disaster payments for 1999 crop losses; -- $400 million in premium discounts for producers purchasing crop insurance for a 2000 year crop (and additional administrative costs of $250 million); -- $200 million in livestock feed assistance; -- an estimated $201 million for the cotton Step-2 export competitiveness program; -- one-year extension of the dairy price support program; -- temporary authority for honey and mohair recourse loans (no additional costs expected). Consolidated Provided $577 million to supplement several emergency programs Appropriations Act for initially funded by P.L. 106-78 (see above), for relief from FY2000 Hurricane Floyd in North Carolina, and for other purposes, including $186 million in additional farm disaster payments; (P.L. 106-113, $178.6 million in loan subsidy to support $2.5 billion in additional November 29, 1999) USDA farm loan programs; $80 million for the Watershed and Flood Prevention Program; $50 million for the Emergency Conservation Program; $25.6 million in rural housing loan and grant funds; $22 million in miscellaneous disaster assistance for Oregon (flood) and Florida (citrus canker); $20 million for the Noninsured Assistance Program; $10 million in additional livestock feed assistance; $2.8 million in additional tobacco assistance. Agriculture Risk Title II provided a total of $7.14 billion in emergency farm Protection Act of 2000 assistance ($5.5 billion in FY2000 and $1.64 billion in FY2001), mostly in direct payments to growers of various commodities to (P.L. 106-224, compensate for low farm commodity prices. June 20, 2000) For FY2000: $5.5 billion in market loss payments to growers of grains and cotton, similar to those made in P.L.106-78 above. For FY2001: -- $997 million in direct market loss payments, including CRS-6 Act Major Agricultural Provisions $500 million to oilseed growers; $340 million for tobacco; $100 million for cottonseed; $47 million for peanuts; $10 million for wool & mohair. -- A total of $301 million in assistance to fruit and vegetable growers, including $200 million in purchases of commodities in surplus during the 1998 and 1999 crop years, and $25 million in compensation for various crop diseases. Other FY2001 crop provisions allow: -- a producer to receive a loan deficiency payment (LDP) if the land is grazed rather than harvested in 2001 (cost of $43 million); -- certain previously ineligible grain and cotton growers to receive a 2000 crop-year LDP ($35 million); and honey growers to receive recourse loans for the 2000 crop ($7 million). The balance of FY2000-FY2001 spending includes $110 million for nutrition programs; $51 million for research programs; $50 million for conservation programs; $24 million for crop and pasture flood compensation; $15 million in emergency loans for seed producers; $15 million for agricultural marketing programs; $13 million for animal disease control programs; and $5 million for boll weevil eradication loans. Emergency Provided $210.4 million to USDA programs, primarily for Supplemental Act for additional assistance to farm and rural areas affected by a series of FY2000 (Title II of the 1999 hurricanes and by 2000 wildfires in the Southwest, including Military Construction $81 million in crop loan forgiveness for North Carolina producers Appropriations Act, whose collateral for a 1999 marketing loan was destroyed by a 2001) hurricane; $77.6 million for the Farm Service Agency for temporary staff to administer emergency farm programs, for civil (P.L. 106-246, rights cases, and for information technology expenses; $29.5 July 13, 2000) million for various USDA rural housing loan and grant programs for hurricane aftermath; $10 million for the Emergency Conservation Program and $4 million for Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations for damage caused by wildfires in the Southwest; and $7 million for the peanut price support program to cover 1999 program losses, which must eventually be repaid by producers. Agricultural, Rural Authorized an estimated $4.0 billion in FY2001 supplemental Development, Food USDA spending, including the following major provisions: and Drug -- $1.8 billion in natural disaster payments for 2000 crop Administration, and losses; Related Agencies -- $675 million in income assistance payments to dairy Appropriations Act, farmers; FY2001 -- $500 million in livestock disaster assistance; -- $220 million for various rural development loan and (P.L. 106-387, grant programs; October 28, 2000) -- $138 million to apple and potato growers for crop losses and low prices; CRS-7 Act Major Agricultural Provisions -- $117 million to increase farmer enrollment in the Wetlands Reserve Program; -- $110 million for the Emergency Watershed Program; -- $80 million for the Emergency Conservation Program; -- $77 million for various crop diseases; -- $53 million in tobacco assistance; -- $50 million for FSA to administer emergency programs -- $40 million for conservation technical assistance; -- $40 million for a modification of food stamp eligibility; and -- $20 million each for various forms of assistance for honey, wool and mohair, cranberry growers, and California fruit growers. Supplemental Provides $65.5 million in various forms of assistance, including Appropriations Act, $35.5 million for Watershed and Flood Prevention programs in 2001 Florida, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin; $20 million for farmers in the Klamath Basin region affected by the (P.L. 107-20, unavailability of irrigation water; $5 million for the Animal and July 24, 2001) Plant Health Inspection Service to guard against the threat of foot and mouth disease, mad cow disease and other foreign animal diseases; $3 million to enforce the Animal Welfare Act and humane slaughter practices; and $2 million to assist Yakima Basin farmers in Washington state. "To respond to the Provides a total of $5.5 billion in emergency FY2001 income continuing economic assistance to farmers, as permitted by the FY2002 budget crisis adversely resolution: affecting American agricultural -- Total direct payments of $5.33 billion to supplement the producers" income of growers of various crops including -- (FY2001 Supplemental $4.622 billion to grain and rice farmers; $423.51 million Authorization for for oilseeds; $129 million for tobacco; $84.7 million for Agriculture) cottonseed; $54.21 million for peanuts; and $16.94 million for wool and mohair. (P.L. 107-25, -- Total assistance of $159.4 million is provided to August 13, 2001) growers of specialty crops (primarily fruits and vegetables). This includes base grants of $500,000 per state and $1 million for Puerto Rico, for a total of $26 million. An additional $133.4 million in specialty crop assistance is provided to the 50 states in proportion to the value of specialty crop production in the state to national value of specialty crop production. -- $10 million to make grants to states to pay the costs related to the processing, transportation and distribution of commodities for the Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP). Making emergency Authorized a total of $40 billion in emergency supplemental supplemental funding government-wide to recover from the September 11 appropriations for terrorist attacks and to combat terrorism. Of the first $20 billion FY2001, in response to that was made immediately available, $95 million was allocated by the September 11, the President to USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service for P.L. 480 2001 terrorist attacks Title II grants to provide food aid to Afghanistan to mitigate the CRS-8 Act Major Agricultural Provisions (P.L. 107-38, impact of the ongoing conflict and drought. The second $20 September 18, 2001) billion could be obligated only when enacted in a subsequent emergency appropriations bill. (See P.L. 107-117 below for USDA's portion of the second $20 billion.) Department of Defense As required by P.L. 107-38 above, the obligation of the second $20 and Emergency billion of the $40 billion authorized by P.L. 107-38 required Supplemental enactment of a subsequent act defining the use of the funds. P.L. Appropriations for 107-117 authorized $367 million of the funds for USDA programs Recovery from and primarily to enhance security at the Department and its research Response to Terrorist facilities, including $119.1 million to the Animal and Plant Health Attacks on the United Inspection Service; $113 million to the Agricultural Research States Act, 2002 Service; $80.9 million to the Secretary's office; and $15 million to the Food Safety Inspection Service. Also included is $39 million (P.L. 107-117, for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infant January 10, 2002) and Children (WIC) in response to the downturn in the national economy. Making supplemental The supplemental provisions in this act provided governmentwide appropriations for funds to combat terrorism and for other purposes, of which a further recovery from portion was contingent upon a request and emergency declaration and response to from the President. Subsequent to enactment, the President stated terrorist attacks on the that he would not provide such a request and designation, hence United States for the making these contingent funds unavailable. For USDA programs fiscal year ending (excluding the Forest Service), the act provided $212 million in September 30, 2002, non-contingent funding, including $94 million for Watershed and and for other purposes Flood Prevention Operations; $75 million for the WIC program; $25 million for security at the Ames, Iowa animal disease research (P.L. 107-206, facility; $10 million in agricultural assistance to producers along August 2, 2002) the Rio Grande due to failure of Mexico to deliver water under a current treaty; and $8 million to fund local television loan guarantees in rural areas. Another $148 million in funding for USDA programs required a presidential request and emergency declaration which was not given. Hence, these funds were not made available. Consolidated This measure contained an estimated $3.1 billion in farm disaster Appropriations assistance, in response to severe drought and other natural disasters Resolution, FY2003 affecting 2001 and 2002 farm production. The full cost of these provisions was offset by a $3.7 billion limitation placed on future (P.L. 108-7, mandatory spending (FY2003-2013) for the Conservation Security February 20, 2003) Program. The $3.1 billion in agricultural assistance included: -- an estimated $2.1 billion in direct disaster payments for crop losses in either 2001 or 2002, but not both years; -- direct payments to livestock growers to compensate them for 2001 or 2002 feed and forage losses, including an estimated $100 million in additional funding for the Livestock Compensation Program (LCP) and $250 million for the Livestock Assistance Program; -- $250 million for the Section 32 program, to partially reimburse the account for funds that were used for the CRS-9 Act Major Agricultural Provisions LCP; -- $70 million for the Farm Service Agency to implement disaster assistance and ongoing farm commodity programs; -- $60 million in disaster payments to sugar beet producers for either 2001 or 2002 crop losses; -- an estimated $60 million in payments to sugarcane producers and processors for hurricane losses in 2002; -- an estimated $54 million to compensate 2002 tobacco producers for losses associated with quota reductions, pests and diseases; -- $50 million for assistance to producers and first handlers of the 2002 cottonseed crop; -- $18.2 million to compensate Florida citrus growers whose trees were quarantined for citrus canker after September 30, 2001; -- $15 million for bovine tuberculosis eradication; -- $10 million in assistance to producers along the Rio Grande, due to failure of Mexico to deliver water under a current treaty; and -- $2 million to compensate New Mexico farmers for losses caused by a Forest Service misapplication of pesticides. Emergency Wartime Authorized an estimated $79 billion government-wide, primarily to Supplemental cover the costs of military operations in Iraq, relief for Iraq and Appropriations Act, Afghanistan, and homeland security protection. Within the total 2003 was $479 million for USDA programs, including: $369 million in additional funding for P.L. 480 Title II foreign (P.L. 108-11, food aid assistance (commodity donations). Of the $369 million, April 16, 2003) the act reserved $69 million to partially replenish the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust (a grain reserve used to help fulfill food aid commitments when supplies are short); and $110 million for the Agricultural Research Service's National Animal Disease Center in Ames, Iowa, to modernize its facilities and to bolster security in response to potential threats to the domestic food supply. Legislative Branch An emergency provision was attached to the FY2004 legislative Appropriations Act, branch appropriations act making available $9.7 million for the 2004 Tree Assistance Program, exclusively to Michigan, in response to an outbreak of fire blight (a bacterial tree disease). (P.L. 108-83, July 1, 2003) Consolidated Title H of this omnibus measure provided $225 million in Appropriations Act, emergency USDA assistance exclusively to Southern California in 2004 response to wildfires in the region, including $150 million for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program, $50 million for the (P.L. 108-199, Forest Service for fire management and mitigation activities, $12.5 January 23, 2004) million for the Tree Assistance Program, $12 million for the Emergency Conservation Program, and $500,000 for the Livestock Indemnity Program. All of this emergency spending was offset by a $225 million rescission from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. CRS-10 Act Major Agricultural Provisions Division H also deleted the provision in P.L. 108-7 (see above) that placed a $3.7 billion limitation on spending for the Conservation Security Program over 10 years (FY2003-FY2013), which effectively allows full funding (such sums as necessary) for the program. Military Construction Division B of this appropriations act provided a total of $14.5 Appropriations and billion in supplemental spending in response to a series of four Emergency Hurricane late-summer hurricanes that struck the southern U.S., and for Supplemental losses associated with a prolonged drought in the western states, Appropriations Act, among other disasters. Of the total provided, a CBO-estimated $3.5 2005 billion was for various agricultural programs. A portion of the agricultural spending was offset by placing a cap on mandatory (P.L. 108-324, spending for the Conservation Security Program beginning in October 13, 2004) FY2008, which is estimated to save $2.86 billion over a multi-year period. Included in the $3.5 billion for agriculture was an estimated $2.84 billion that was expected to benefit various regions that experienced multiple years of drought and a late summer frost. The balance of $658 million was made available primarily for regions that were severely affected by the series of 2004 hurricanes and tropical storms. Included in the $2.84 billion was an estimated: -- $2.3 billion in direct disaster payments for crop losses in either 2003 or 2004, but not both years; -- $475 million in Livestock Assistance Program payments for forage and feed losses in either 2003 or 2004, but not both; and -- $35 million for the Tree Assistance Program to replant orchards damaged or destroyed by a disaster. Note: Prior to enactment of P.L. 108-324, USDA authorized and implemented a new Florida Hurricane Disaster Assistance Program to make disaster payments to Florida citrus, vegetable, and nursery growers using existing USDA funds (estimated at $500 million). Any producer receiving a payment under this program is ineligible to receive a crop or tree loss payment under P.L. 108-324. Included in the $658 million made available primarily for additional agricultural hurricane relief were: -- $250 million for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program to repair waterways and watersheds affected by any natural disaster; -- $150 million for the Emergency Conservation Program, to clean up and restore disaster-ravaged farmland; -- a $90 million transfer to the Section 32 program, to supplement existing funds earmarked by the Secretary CRS-11 Act Major Agricultural Provisions of Agriculture for a disaster payment program authorized by the Secretary with existing funds, for Florida citrus, vegetable, and nursery growers; -- $68 million for rural infrastructure through the Rural Community Advancement Program; -- $40 million for sugarcane losses caused by a 2004 hurricane; -- $18 million for rural housing loans and grants; -- $10 million for dairy production losses and spoilage caused by a 2004 hurricane; -- $10 million for cottonseed producers and first handlers; -- $10 million for private forest landowners; -- $8.5 million for pecan producers; and -- $4 million for additional Farm Service Agency administrative expenses. Emergency P.L. 109-13 provided $82 billion government-wide primarily for Supplemental ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, counter- Appropriations Act for terrorism, reconstruction in Afghanistan, and tsunami relief. Of Defense, the Global this amount, $344.5 million was for USDA programs, including War on Terror, and $240 million for P.L. 480 Title II food aid (mainly for the Darfur Tsunami Relief, 2005 region of Sudan and other parts of Africa) and $104.5 million for the emergency watershed protection program. (P.L. 109-13, May 11, 2005) Department of Division B of the FY2006 defense appropriations act contained Defense, Emergency government-wide supplemental funding in the wake of Hurricanes Supplemental Katrina and Rita and to combat the potential outbreak of pandemic Appropriations to influenza. Included in the total was $1.17 billion for USDA Address Hurricanes in programs, of which $1.076 billion is for agricultural hurricane the Gulf of Mexico, assistance, and $94 million is for the USDA response to avian and Pandemic influenza. The $1.076 billion in hurricane aid for USDA included Influenza Act, 2006 $404 million for a new emergency forestry conservation reserve program (to compensate private, nonindustrial forest landowners (P.L. 109-148, who experienced large hurricane losses, for retiring their land), December 30, 2005) $300 million for emergency watershed protection, $200 million for the emergency conservation program, and $118 million for various rural development (housing and infrastructure) programs. Of the $94 million in USDA avian flu funds, $71.5 million was for its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to bolster its detection and response activities, $11.4 million for the Office of the Secretary, and the balance for its research agencies. The cost of this supplemental was offset by transferring existing supplemental funds from FEMA, a government-wide 1% rescission of discretionary spending, and additional rescissions to various accounts, including $66.1 million from USDA. (Separately, USDA made an administrative decision in early 2006 to transfer $250 million of existing funds for disaster payments to crop, livestock , tree, and aquaculture producers, exclusively for 2005 hurricane losses.) CRS-12 Act Major Agricultural Provisions Emergency P.L. 109-234 provided $982 million in supplemental USDA Supplemental assistance, primarily as a second phase of agricultural assistance Appropriations Act for (see P.L. 109-148 for the first phase) following Hurricanes Katrina Defense, the Global and Rita in 2005 ($632 million), and for additional overseas food War on Terror, and aid ($350 million) through P.L. 480 Title II grants. The $632 Hurricane Recovery, million is provided exclusively to the affected Gulf states, 2006 including $140 million for various livestock assistance programs, $100 million for the emergency forestry conservation reserve (P.L. 109-234, program, $95 million for fruits, vegetables, and nursery products, June 15, 2006) $80 million for sugar cane losses, $35 million for the tree assistance program, $17 million for dairy, $15 million for cottonseed, and $8 million for aquaculture. Also included is $51 million for watershed restoration, $26 million for rural development, and $55 million for USDA to repair its own damaged facilities. U.S. Troop Readiness, P.L. 110-28 provided an estimated $3.65 billion in supplemental Veterans' Care, FY2007 funding for USDA programs, of which approximately $3 Katrina Recovery, and billion was made available to assist farmers and ranchers who Iraq Accountability experienced severe production losses caused by a natural disaster Appropriations Act, in 2005, 2006, or early 2007 (before February 28). Payments are 2007 limited to one of these three years. Included in the total is an (P.L. 110-28, estimated $1.55 billion in crop disaster assistance, $1.23 billion in May 25, 2007) livestock assistance programs (primarily the livestock compensation program), an estimated $115 million for the emergency forestry conservation program, $16 million in dairy loss assistance, $16 million for the emergency conservation program, and $16 million in emergency grants to low-income migrant workers. The act also provided $460 million in emergency overseas food aid (primarily for Africa and Afghanistan), restored $115 million to the Conservation Security Program, and extended the funding authority for the Milk Income Loss Contract program through September 30, 2007. (For more information, see CRS Report RS21212, Agricultural Disaster Assistance.) Consolidated Section 743 of Division A of P.L. 110-161 allows all 2007 crop Appropriations Act, and livestock losses to be eligible for disaster assistance under P.L. 2008 110-28 (see above). Originally, P.L. 110-28 limited 2007 eligible (P.L. 110-161, losses to crops planted before February 28, 2007, or livestock December 26, 2007) losses incurred before that date. Payments are still limited to one of the three eligible years (2005, 2006, or 2007). CBO estimates that the 2007 extension will add $602 million to the cost of crop and livestock assistance for 2005-2007 losses ($592 million for crops and $10 million for livestock.) Separately, the regular annual appropriation for WIC is supplemented by an emergency supplemental appropriation of $400 million for FY2008. Supplemental P.L. 110-252 provided total supplemental USDA funding of Appropriations Act, $1.724 billion. Of this amount, $1.245 billion was provided for 2008 P.L. 480 international food aid ($850 million immediately (P.L. 110-252, available until expended, and $395 million in FY2009 until June 30, 2008) expended), in response to rising food prices and global food needs. Another $479.9 million was provided to two conservation programs for clean-up and rehabilitation following the spring and CRS-13 Act Major Agricultural Provisions summer Midwest floods and other disasters, including $89.4 million for the emergency conservation program and $390.5 million for the emergency watershed conservation program. Summary of FY1989: $3.39 billion FY2000: $14.78 billion Supplemental FY1990: $1.48 billion FY2001: $11.30 billion Appropriations for USDA Programs, FY1991: $0 FY2002: $579 million FY1989-FY2008 FY1992: $995 million FY2003: $3.58 billion FY1993: $1.95 billion FY2004: $234.7 million FY1994: $3.08 billion FY2005: $3.844 billion FY1995: $600 million FY2006: $2.152 billion FY1996: $129 million FY2007: $3.653 billion FY1997: $513 million FY2008: $2.747 billion FY1998: $160 million FY2009: $395 million FY1999: $6.62 billion Grand Total, FY1989-FY2009 (to date): $61.78 billion ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ For other versions of this document, see http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL31095