Alert

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, today announced that he secured several Missouri priorities in the FY2019 Agriculture Appropriations bill. The bill was approved by the subcommittee yesterday and will be considered by the full committee tomorrow.

“Missouri farmers, ranchers and producers play a vital role in driving our state’s economy, and I’m committed to making sure they have the resources they need to take advantage of the great economic opportunities ahead,” said Blunt. “I’m pleased this bill prioritizes resources to expand rural broadband, which farmers and ranchers increasingly rely on for precision agriculture, high-speed commodity trading, and other technology. And, by investing resources in Missouri’s world class agriculture research institutions, this bill will help pave the way for scientific discoveries that will give farmers and ranchers the competitive edge in an increasingly global economy. I urge my colleagues on the committee to support this bill, and our ongoing efforts to make sure we have the right policies in place to support farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, and producers.”

Blunt Secured the Following Missouri Ag Priorities in the Subcommittee-Passed FY2019 Agriculture Appropriations Bill:

• Agricultural Research – The bill provides $2.73 billion to support agricultural research conducted by land grant and non-land grant universities and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). This amount includes $405 million for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, a $5 million increase over FY2018. The agriculture research funding will support programs at The University of Missouri, Missouri State University, Northwest Missouri State University, Lincoln University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ARS facility in Columbia, Mo.
  
  
• Farm Service Agency (FSA) – The legislation provides $1.63 billion for the FSA. It also prohibits the closure of FSA county offices and provides key resources for personnel and information technology (IT) improvements across county offices. Farmers and ranchers in Missouri and across the nation rely on the FSA for various programs, including disaster relief, conservation, and emergency loans
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• Natural Resources Conservation Service –The bill provides $879.1 million to help farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners conserve and protect their land. It also includes $150 million for the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations Program, which provides funding for the East Locust Creek Reservoir Project.
  
  
• Rural Development – The legislation provides $3.8 billion for Rural Development, including an additional $825 million in funding dedicated to infrastructure investments in Rural America.
  
  
• Water & Electric Infrastructure – The bill includes $1.25 billion for USDA Water and Waste grants and loans to address infrastructure needs in rural areas, and directs the secretary to prioritize communities that have the greatest infrastructure needs. The bill also includes $6.94 billion for rural electric and telephone infrastructure loans and $30 million for broadband grants.
  
  
• Rural Broadband – The legislation provides $425 million for a new rural broadband pilot grant and loan program. The program will target areas that currently lack access to broadband, and includes provisions that prevent overbuilding existing infrastructure. In addition, the bill provides $53 million in Distance Learning and Telemedicine grants, including $20 million to help rural communities combat the opioid epidemic. Click here for more on Blunt’s efforts to end the digital divide, which has left more than 50 percent of rural Missourians without access to high-speed internet.