On Sunday the Senate advanced a short-term continuing resolution to reopen and fund the government through Jan. 30. In addition to opening the government, the agreement includes three of the 12 full-year appropriations bills, including the agriculture appropriations bill. It also includes a one-year extension for the remaining farm bill provisions that expired on Sept. 30. The CR also would extend the Grain Standards Act until Jan. 30. The law authorizes USDA to carry out official inspection and weighing services.
The Senate Appropriations Committee advanced the agricultural appropriations bill by a unanimous vote, and the full Senate passed the bill with a vote of 87–9 in August. A summary of the agricultural funding package shows that the bill cuts USDA and FDA salaries by $415 million to reflect staffing changes. It also provides $3.8 billion in agricultural research funding and $1.2 billion for Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service funds to combat threats such as chronic wasting disease, New World screwworm and avian influenza. The package provides the Farm Service Agency with $1.4 billion, including $10 billion in farm loans and a prohibition on FSA county office closures.
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