Senate Approves Agricultural Spending

The Senate Thursday approved $73.9 billion for agriculture appropriations in fiscal 2002. The total was a little less than President Bush had requested. Of the total, $35.8 billion, goes for feeding programs such as food stamps and child nutrition. The overall level is $78 million below the president's request but is $870 million above the 2001 spending level, not counting the $3.6 billion emergency farm package.

For agricultural research and extension programs, the bill includes an increase of $174 million over last year's funding; the Agricultural Research Service will receive $1.1 billion, and the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service $1 billion.

The legislation provides $108 million more than last year for conservation programs in the Agriculture Department, $800 million more for farm credit and $20.5 million more for food safety. Almost $4 billlion will go to agricultural credit programs and $980 million to conservation.

By a 50-45 vote, the Senate defeated an amendment proposed by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) that would have given the USDA legal authority to enforce standards for reducing pathogens in meat and poultry products. An identical amendment failed by one vote last year.

The legislation now goes into a conference committee to work out differences with the House, which passed its $74.3 billion version on July 11.

Congress has approved only two of the 13 annual spending bills for the new fiscal year. Both the House and Senate voted without dissent Thursday to let federal agencies continue functioning through Nov. 16. The temporary spending measure is the fourth one since fiscal 2002 began Oct. 1.