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To Members of the NASULGC System:
President Bush released his budget request for F.Y. 2005 this
morning. A couple of hundred miles north of Washington,
Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow at about the same time. This
unusual cosmic convergence led one wag (identity protected) to
remark that this means that we'll have six more years of deficits.
Still another said that it reminded him of Groundhog Day the movie
in which the primary character relives the same day thousands
of times.
We have examined the detailed USDA appendix that accompanies the
presidential budget request and – based solely
upon this quick review – have reached the following initial
conclusions with respect to USDA-CSREES accounts:
1. Overall, USDA funding would be cut by $1.2 billion.
2. Total CSREES funding is cut by $108 million, but most of
these reductions would come from congressional earmarks.
3. The National Research Initiative would increase by
approximately $16 million (ten percent) over the F.Y. 2004 enacted
level.
4. Funding for many of the programs cut by 10% would be at
least partially restored, including EFNEP, which would receive
almost $58 million in funding under the president's request.
5. "Homeland Security" related items would increase: the
plant and animal diagnostic labs would get a $22 million increase
and there is a new "higher education agrosecurity education
program" line item that would be funded at $5 million.
6. IFAFS authority was captured again, thereby enabling the
administration to "take credit" for $260 million in budgetary
"savings." In addition, there appear to be more "limitations"
imposed on mandatory USDA programs, a move that could complicate
efforts by our congressional champions to help the system as the
budget/appropriations process moves forward.
Links:
Preliminary FY 2005 CSREES Spreadsheet (.xls)
USDA FY 2005
Budget Appendix (a large .pdf)
As additional information becomes available over the course of the
next few days, we will be certain to pass it along to you.
Fred H. Hutchison
Fleishman-Hillard Government Relations
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