By Scout Nelson
Senator John Hoeven played a pivotal role as Ranking Member of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee in steering the unanimous approval of the Fiscal Year 2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act by the full Senate Appropriations Committee.
This legislation, which he co-authored, secures crucial priorities for agricultural research, farm service agency operations, and rural community support.
Key provisions include approximately $50 million allocated to agricultural research initiatives in North Dakota, emphasizing advancements at institutions like North Dakota State University (NDSU) and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS).
The bill also ensures increased staffing and prohibits closure of Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices, alongside robust funding for FSA loans critical for farm operations.
Additional funds are directed to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to reinstate essential reports, such as the July Cattle Report, while bolstering the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program to support rural animal health services.
Senator Hoeven underscored the importance of funding within the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to enforce the Packers and Stockyards Act, advocating for fair market access for producers, particularly in cattle markets.
Reflecting on North Dakota's agricultural priorities, the legislation includes enhanced funding for joint ARS-NDSU research projects, expansion of the AgTech Cooperative Agreement at Grand Farm, and investments in agricultural policy research at NDSU.
Additional allocations support infrastructure improvements at the ARS Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center and initiatives like the Wetland Mitigation Banking and Water Bank programs to aid farmers in conservation efforts.
“Our efforts to keep the farm in the Farm Bill go hand in hand with our work on annual appropriations legislation,” said Hoeven. “Accordingly, this bill provides vital support to our producers, agri-businesses, land grant institutions and rural communities. The priorities we’ve secured include moving new innovations forward to help farmers increase yields and fight disease, advancing the next generation of precision agriculture technology and helping producers and rural businesses access new markets, just to name a few of these important efforts.”
Photo Credit: istock-fotokostic
Categories: North Dakota, Government & Policy