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HR8646119th CongressWALLET

Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Act, 2027

Sponsored By: Representative Harris, Andy [R-MD-1]

In Committee

Summary

This bill would provide FY2027 funding for USDA, FDA, and rural development programs and attach a wide set of policy riders and reporting rules. It combines detailed appropriations, program ceilings, transfers, rescissions, and targeted prohibitions that shape farm, food, and rural policy.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

18 provisions identified: 9 benefits, 1 costs, 8 mixed.

Arkansas Valley Conduit repayment terms

If enacted, the bill would require repayment contracts for the Arkansas Valley Conduit to equal 35% of the project cost. Money paid during construction by non-Federal entities would count toward that 35%. If the Secretary finds financial hardship, the remaining balance could be repaid over up to 75 years with simple interest equal to half the Treasury rate under section 2(c). Contracts would also require parties to run and maintain the conduit.

More rural housing loans and vouchers

If enacted, the bill would fund large new USDA rural housing loan pools and cost appropriations for FY2027. It would make $1 billion available for direct home loans and $25 billion for guaranteed home loans and related loan-costs. It would provide $1.795 billion for rental assistance and create a $48 million rural housing voucher fund to pay the gap between market rent and tenant rent for certain section 515 units. The bill would also fund mutual and self-help grants ($25 million), repairs and preservation grants ($26 million), and a $30 million demonstration to preserve USDA multifamily properties.

More loans and help for farms and small businesses

If enacted, the bill would create and fund many farm and rural business loan and grant programs for FY2027. It would authorize $2 billion in rural business guaranteed loans and smaller targeted loan authorities (for example, $50 million for rural economic development loans and $50 million for REAP guarantees). It would fund agricultural credit ceilings and costs for FSA loan programs, support crop insurance payments, set aside funds for dairy indemnities, and give money for state mediation, cooperative development, microentrepreneur and processing grants (including $1 million for invasive catfish processors). The bill also directs hiring funds for FSA county offices to improve access to loans and services.

Rural facilities, water, broadband funding

If enacted, the bill would fund rural community facilities, water and waste programs, and a broadband pilot for FY2027. It would authorize $1.25 billion in direct community facility loans and $650 million in guaranteed loans, and provide hundreds of millions in subsidy funds and grants. It would fund roughly $1.015 billion in rural water direct loans plus grants and require Buy America iron and steel unless a public waiver is granted. It would also fund telemedicine/distance learning grants and a $40 million broadband loan/grant pilot with a requirement that projects mainly serve areas with less than 25/3 Mbps and build to at least 100/20 Mbps where possible.

USDA research, IT, and construction rules

If enacted, the bill would fund USDA operations, IT, and research for FY2027. It would appropriate about $1.8 billion for the Agricultural Research Service with per-building construction caps and limits on low-cost land purchases requiring congressional notice. It would provide $134.9 million for the Chief Information Officer with at least $60 million for cybersecurity, and $270 million for Rural Development administration with at least $75 million for IT.

Changes to SNAP, WIC, and School Meals

If enacted, this bill would fund major child nutrition and food programs and raise some WIC benefits while also adding smaller caps and rule limits. It would appropriate about $37.9 billion for school lunch and child nutrition (available through Sept. 30, 2028). It would provide about $101.24 billion for SNAP in FY2027 with a $3 billion reserve through Sept. 30, 2029. WIC would get $8.0 billion for FY2027, set child vouchers at 267% and women’s vouchers at 428% of FY2020 amounts, add peanut-containing foods within 180 days, and set milk monthly limits for FY2027. The bill would cap farm-to-school grants at $500,000 per recipient in FY2027 and limit certain Section 32 marketing admin spending to $24,464,000.

New federal rules for pet foods

If enacted, the bill would add a new animal-food section to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. FDA would set national labeling, ingredient review, allowed claims, and donor protections for pet food. FDA would have to act on ingredient submissions in 180 days and issue initial guidance within 18 months that relies on the 2024 AAFCO model rules. States could not impose different labeling rules, though they would keep post-market food safety authority.

Rural electric and telecom loans

If enacted, the bill would authorize large loan and guarantee amounts for rural electric and telecommunications programs in FY2027, totaling billions for electric and telecom lending and some program costs. It would also rescind $40 million of unobligated prior broadband pilot funds, except amounts Congress designated as emergency.

Block certain Packers and Stockyards rules

If enacted, the bill would bar USDA from writing, finalizing, or enforcing several recent Packers and Stockyards Act and poultry contracting rules and would require the Secretary to withdraw affected rules and stop related investigations. This would mainly change regulatory standards for poultry growers and livestock producers.

New inspection and loan-related fees

If enacted, the bill would let USDA and FSIS collect new or reallocated fees and treat some receipts as available to fund inspection and program costs. It would allow a one-time fee up to 3% on guaranteed Business and Industry loans and let FSIS charge establishments for inspection work outside approved shifts or on Federal holidays. At the same time, the bill sets caps on fee-funded obligations for certain inspection and weighing services and limits indirect cost reimbursement to nonprofits to 10% of direct costs for cooperative agreements.

Changes to meat and egg inspections

If enacted, the bill would fund the Food Safety and Inspection Service at $1.226 billion for FY2027 and require at least 148 FTEs for Humane Methods of Slaughter Act inspections. At the same time, it would bar using funds to enforce a specific FDA rule for surplus broiler hatching eggs sold to egg breakers and would bar using funds to inspect horses under certain Federal statutes and regulations.

Pause FDA food traceability rules

If enacted, the bill would bar FDA from using funds to enforce its November 21, 2022 traceability rule or other FSMA section 204 rules before July 20, 2028. FDA would have to identify flexibilities for lot tracking, clarify when warehousing counts as transformation, hold quarterly public industry meetings with a test data exercise, and form an expert panel to publish traceback findings within one year.

USDA budget, labs, and research rules

If enacted, the bill would limit agency reprogramming and require 30 days' written notice and committee approval for many fund moves over $500,000 or 10 percent. It would bar closing or consolidating ARS labs without congressional committee approval and a cost and staff-impact analysis. The Secretary could transfer funds within the Office of the Secretary only up to 5 percent per office. The bill would provide $29.5 million for the Office of the Chief Economist (including $10 million for research grants) and let the Secretary waive matching funds for certain research grants.

Limits and rules for CCC emergency funds

If enacted, the bill would allow the Commodity Credit Corporation to be reimbursed for net realized losses and permit up to $5 million to move to the Foreign Agricultural Service for certain data work. It would require 15 days' written notice to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees before obligating emergency CCC funds and require a detailed spend plan if an action exceeds $100 million. The bill would also cap CCC spending at $15 million this fiscal year for CERCLA and Solid Waste Disposal Act cleanup work.

Emergency pet shelter grants

If enacted, the bill would appropriate $1.5 million for emergency and transitional pet shelter and housing assistance grants. The funds would support short-term pet shelter and related housing assistance under the existing program.

No cost-share for specialty crop grants

If enacted, the bill would bar cost-sharing or matching requirements for Specialty Crop Block Grant awards in Fiscal year 2027. It would also add "millet" to the list of specialty crops and extend two marketing/reporting references from 2026 to 2027.

Religious-belief protections for recipients

If enacted, the bill would prohibit the use of funds to take certain adverse federal actions against a person for acting on a sincere belief that marriage is one man and one woman. "Discriminatory action" listed includes denying tax-exempt status, grants, licenses, accreditation, employment, or access to federal property or fora.

APHIS cost‑recovery fee authority

If enacted, the bill would let APHIS charge fees in FY2027 to recover the full cost of technical assistance, goods, or services it provides to States, organizations, foreign governments, or individuals. Fees must be based on the specific assistance provided and collected funds could be spent without further appropriation.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Harris, Andy [R-MD-1]

MD • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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