View original document

The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

AT A GLANCE:
2006 Discretionary Budget Authority:
(Decrease from 2005: 10 percent)

$19.4 billion

Major Programs:
• Agriculture Commodities Support
• Conservation
• Food and Nutrition Service
• Forest Service
• Food Safety, Animal and Plant Health, and Marketing Programs
• Rural Development

MEETING PRESIDENTIAL GOALS
Promoting Economic Opportunity and Ownership
• Ensuring an economically sound future for American agriculture by providing a financial safety
net for farmers and promoting free and fair trade, while promoting more efficient production
decisions and reducing agricultural subsidies.
• Supporting rural telecommunications with broadband loans.

Protecting America
• Protecting the food supply by ensuring enforcement of food safety and security standards at
meat, poultry, and egg products plants and protecting agriculture from pest infestations and
disease.
• Maintaining the commitment to protect the agriculture and food system against intentional or
unintentional contamination.

Supporting a Compassionate Society
• Providing important nutrition programs, including the Food Stamp, School Lunch, School Breakfast, and Child and Adult Care Food programs, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program
for Women, Infants, and Children.
• Helping tenants displaced from traditional rural multifamily housing units.
59

60

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

MEETING PRESIDENTIAL GOALS—Continued
Making Government More Effective
• Improving the Crop Insurance program by proposing reforms to reduce the need for ad hoc
disaster assistance.
• Improving accountability through significant reform of the Forest Service including significantly
reducing its indirect costs, and addressing maintenance needs for our national forests by selling
unneeded facilities and establishing a working capital fund for facilities.
• Eliminating or phasing out conservation programs, such as the Resources Conservation and
Development Program and Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations Program, that do not
effectively target Federal resources on need or performance in order to refocus funding to highpriority conservation programs.
• Initiating the process to close the public/private Rural Telephone Bank because of insufficient
demand for its privatization and because the Government is able to provide the Federal financial
assistance through other programs in a more cost-effective manner.

Agency-specific Goals
• Ensuring that eligible, low-income individuals have access to food stamps and improving
program accountability.
• Managing National Forests and Grasslands and assisting private landowners in managing lands
in a productive, sustainable way.
• Redirecting funding from lower priority conservation programs in order to fund national-level
resource priorities, such as helping animal feeding operations comply with environmental
regulations and helping ranchers fight and control invasive species.

THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006

61

PROMOTING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND OWNERSHIP
Enhancing economic opportunities for agricultural producers

Farm Income

The cornerstone of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) is the assistance it provides
to improve the U.S. farm economy. By any
90
290
Gross Cash
Gross Farmstandard, the farm economy is quite healthy.
Receipts
Related Income
270
75
Net cash income of U.S. farmers in 2004 is
Net Cash Farm
Gross Government
forecast to exceed the 2003 record level of $68.6
Income
Payments
250
60
billion by 13 percent (see accompanying chart).
Two consecutive years of exceptionally large
230
45
crop harvests and very high livestock prices,
as a result of strong demand, have benefited
210
30
the farm sector. This is only the fourth time
since 1990 that the value of both crop and
190
15
livestock production is expected to increase.
0
170
The combined value of production for crop and
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Source: USDA.
livestock commodities is expected to increase
by $27.6 billion in 2004, a 13-percent increase,
following a $20.7 billion (10.8 percent) increase in 2003. The value of farm sector production,
including income from forestry and services earned on farm assets, rose $50.1 billion in just two
years. The farm sector contributes significantly to U.S. national economic output. In 2004, it is
estimated that the sector contributed a record $118.9 billion in net value added, up $17.5 billion,
or 17 percent, from 2003.
Billions of dollars (gross)

Net farm income, billions of dollars

Given this success, the Administration believes that it is appropriate to adjust current levels of
assistance to farmers under the 2002 Farm Bill (Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002).
The 2002 Farm Bill provided a total of $176 billion in farm-related assistance, a 74-percent increase
over the assistance the previous Farm Bill would have provided in the absence of any additional
emergency assistance. Not all of this assistance is appropriately targeted, and many of the programs
may need to be reformed as a result of any new multilateral long-term trade agreements. Therefore,
the Administration is proposing the following legislative changes to reduce agricultural subsidies,
promote more efficient production decisions, and extend expiring programs:
• Reducing the payment limit cap for individuals to $250,000 for commodity payments, including
all types of marketing loan gains, while removing the three-entity-rule.
• Basing marketing loans on historical production.
• Reducing crop and dairy payments to farmers by five percent. Payments to farmers from all
commodity programs (e.g., marketing loans, direct and counter-cyclical payments) would be
calculated and payments would be reduced by five percent.
• Requiring the dairy price support program to minimize expenditures.
• Imposing a sugar marketing assessment to be paid by sugar processors on all processed sugar.
• Extending the Milk Income Loss Compensation program for two years.

62

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

PROMOTING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND OWNERSHIP—Continued
Opening New Markets to U.S. Farmers and Ranchers
U.S. export revenues have accounted for 20 to 30 percent of U.S. farm income over the past 30 years
and also generate significant off-farm income. Trade also provides U.S. consumers access to a wider
variety of foods, and provides fresh produce at reasonable prices in the winter months. The Administration is determined to work toward the elimination of trade barriers and trade distortions through
the World Trade Organization, as well as a number of regional and bilateral trade agreements, such
as the Central American Free Trade Agreement and the recently passed free trade agreements with
Australia and Singapore. As a result of U.S. negotiations with China on soybean and cotton trade,
U.S. exports of soybeans to China reached an all-time high in 2003 of $2.9 billion, and cotton exports
were $733 million, up 431 percent over 2002.
Following the discovery of a cow that tested positive for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
in Washington State in December 2003, many beef-importing nations refused to import U.S. beef.
The Administration has been working tirelessly to re-open markets to U.S. beef. Most significantly,
the Administration is working with the government of Japan to pave the way for a resumption of beef
trade. Exports are very important to our cattle and beef industry, accounting for 10 percent of total
production. Sales to Japan alone exceeded $1.7 billion in 2003, prior to trade being halted due to the
discovery of the BSE-positive cow in the United States.

Increasing Opportunities and Improving Quality of Life in Rural America
Rural America is home to one-fifth of the Nation’s population. The needs of this population are
as diverse as those of the populations in large towns and cities. Communities in rural America rely
upon many of the same things as urban areas, including good paying jobs, access to critical services
like education, healthcare, and technology, and strong and safe communities. One specific utility that
many growing businesses are relying on for further growth is broadband, which allows high-speed
data transmission.
In 2004, President Bush announced
an initiative to make access to broadBroadband Helps Rural Businesses Succeed
band technology available to every
Using services provided by a long-time Rural Utilities SerAmerican by 2007. While broadband
vice borrower, Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone Cooperative,
has begun to penetrate rural America,
Northwoods DNA in Minnesota was able to increase test
rural areas still lag behind urban
results reporting from two to three per day to over 50 per
centers. The Rural Utilities Service
day. This global DNA sequencing and genotyping busidelivers one of the Department’s
ness, which brings high-paying, high-technology jobs to
programs designed to increase access to
rural America, is able to have a more viable business by
broadband for rural residents and busiusing broadband.
nesses. This program provides loans to
companies that are willing to provide
broadband in rural communities. Since
the beginning of this program in February 2003, USDA has approved over $658 million in loans.
The 2006 President’s Budget provides funding that will support an additional $359 million in loans.

THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006

63

PROTECTING AMERICA
Because the agriculture and food systems are vulnerable to disease, pest, or poisonous agents that
occur naturally or are introduced externally, USDA works to detect potential plant and animal diseases and pests, and carries out the inspection of meat, poultry, and egg products before they are sold
to consumers. The 2005 Budget requested funds to increase USDA’s ability to detect and respond
to potential contaminations of the agriculture and food system. The 2006 Budget maintains this
commitment by including approximately $376 million for food and agriculture defense activities, a
$78 million increase over the amount enacted by the Congress for 2005. Excluding funding for the
state-of-the-art animal research and diagnostic facility at Ames, Iowa, for which the Administration
requests full funding, the Budget proposes increases of $140 million above the 2005 enacted level.
To improve the safety and security of the food supply, the
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), in coordination
with the Food and Drug Administration, is working to create
a nationwide food laboratory network that will have the ability
to test many different types of food for potential biological,
chemical, and radiological contaminants.
This laboratory
network will have sufficient capacity to respond to emergency
needs. Funding of $19 million is provided for FSIS to purchase
testing equipment, train staff, and analyze samples at up to 26
State laboratories. These labs will be interconnected through
an electronic network that allows labs to rapidly report and
exchange data. In addition, $23 million is requested for the
Agricultural Research Service to address food safety issues,
including early detection of pathogens and bacterial toxins.
This research will increase the speed of detection to reduce any
negative consequences of the threat.
To improve the health of animals and plants and protect the
agriculture system from plant and animal diseases and infestations, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
is increasing pest detection and animal health monitoring. The
Budget requests $166 million for surveillance and monitoring by APHIS for the early detection of
infected plants and animals. In addition, $148 million in funding is provided for the continuation
of other important agriculture defense activities started in 2005, including: a National Veterinary
Stockpile to establish a strategic stockpile of vaccines and other therapeutics in case of an animal
disease outbreak; a National Plant Disease Recovery System to respond to and recover from a disease
affecting a major crop; the expansion of the Regional Diagnostic Network to aid in the rapid analysis
of potentially diseased material; research into emerging and exotic diseases of livestock and crops
to inform rapid identification and response to an attack on our agriculture or food systems; and the
completion of the Ames facility.

64

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

SUPPORTING A COMPASSIONATE SOCIETY
From nutrition assistance to housing assistance to international food and education assistance,
USDA works to improve the lives of people across the Nation and throughout the world. USDA is
also bringing expertise to school feeding programs in 25 countries throughout the world. The McGovern Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition program was permanently authorized
in the 2002 Farm Bill with the objective of using U.S. commodities and financial assistance to jumpstart school feeding programs in poor countries. Results from the program show improvement in
student enrollment, attendance, and performance. In 2005, over 2.2 million women and children will
receive meals under this program. The 2006 Budget expands the program to reach over 2.5 million
recipients.
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, more commonly
known as the WIC program, serves the nutritional needs of low-income pregnant and post-partum
women, infants, and children up to their fifth birthday. The Budget provides $5.5 billion for WIC
services, full funding for all those estimated to be eligible and seeking services. On July 30, 2004,
President Bush signed the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. This law makes
many important improvements to the National School Lunch Program that affect the 29 million
children participating in the program on an average school day. The Administration is implementing these changes to increase access to nutrition for vulnerable children, help States and schools
fight childhood obesity, improve the integrity of the school meals programs, and strengthen WIC cost
containment efforts.

Multifamily Housing
In September 2004, the Supreme Court
ruled that owners of USDA financed multifamily housing projects have a right to prepay
pre-1989 loans. This ruling put the tenant
population served by those properties at
risk of potential displacement (an estimated
1,648 properties with 45,933 units, or about
10 percent of the portfolio, will be affected).
The 2006 Budget provides $214 million for a
voucher program for these displaced tenants.
In addition, the Administration is developing
a proposal to provide for the revitalization of
USDA-financed multifamily housing projects.
Collectively, these proposals will ensure that
USDA continues to provide decent, safe, affordable housing to those who need it. The 2006 Budget
also reflects the Administration’s preference for loan guarantees and vouchers as a way to promote
private ownership and individual control in providing low-income, tenant-based housing in rural
America. The multifamily housing guarantees are doubled to $200 million, while no funding has
been provided for new construction in the direct loan program.

THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006

65

MAKING GOVERNMENT MORE EFFECTIVE
USDA is striving to improve its program delivery so that it can provide better, more efficient services. Through Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) analyses, audits, and other management
reviews, USDA has determined that there are many program and management gains that can be
made. What follows are several examples that are designed to show the breadth of changes USDA
is undertaking.

Crop Insurance
Crop insurance was designed to be the
primary risk management tool for all farmers.
Such insurance helps farmers cope with
natural disasters, such as flood and drought,
so they do not have to leave farming. In
addition, the widespread use of crop insurance
was meant to eliminate the need for ad hoc
natural disaster payments. However, even
though the farmer’s subsidy for crop insurance
was raised in 2000, the Government continues
to make large disaster payments on top of
the insurance payouts. Since 2000, four ad
hoc disaster programs have been authorized
covering six crop years for a total cost of $10
billion.
The pressure for supplemental disaster payments is often driven by anecdotal stories of suddenly
destitute family farmers without crop insurance, or with minimal crop insurance. Part of the problem stems from the low coverage level of catastrophic crop insurance (CAT), which was designed
primarily to encourage widespread participation by charging farmers only a $100 fee. However, as
CAT provides a maximum of 27.5 percent of the crop value for a total crop loss, the low coverage can
result in tremendous pressure from farmers to obtain more relief.
While the cost to assist just these farmers
Farm Revenue as Crop Loss Increases
might not be large, the Congress does not want
Thousands of dollars
120
farmers who bought adequate crop insurance
Crop Insurance
Disaster Payments
to be put at a disadvantage or to discourage
Sales Revenue
100
their purchasing insurance. Consequently,
disaster payments are structured to ignore
80
crop insurance payments in determining el60
igibility for assistance. As a result, the income
of farmers with crop insurance increases
40
with the size of crop loss, once the 35 percent
threshold for receiving disaster payments is
20
met. Ultimately, taxpayers pay the bill for
this system. The chart shows how a farmer’s
0
revenue varies as crop loss increases, when
0
20
40
60
80
Percentage Crop Loss
Source: USDA.
the farmer is receiving disaster payments on
top of crop insurance that prevents a loss greater than 35 percent.

100

66

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

MAKING GOVERNMENT MORE EFFECTIVE—Continued
In continuing the Administration’s efforts to more effectively budget and administer disaster insurance programs, the 2006 Budget includes a proposal to require a higher minimum coverage level
and compel farmers to purchase insurance by tying the receipt of Federal commodity payments to
the purchase of crop insurance. This change will ensure that the farmer’s revenue loss would not
be greater than 50 percent. Other changes include modifications to the fee for catastrophic coverage
to make the program more equitable in its treatment of both large and small farms, restructuring
premium rates to better reflect historical losses, and reductions in delivery costs. The combination of
changes being proposed is expected to save the Federal Government approximately $140 million per
year. In total, this change should ensure that farmers of major commodity crops have crop insurance
with a minimum coverage level that is sufficient to sustain most farmers in times of loss.

Improving the National Forest System
The Forest Service has improved its management and performance in recent years through
implementation of the President’s Management
Agenda. Through competitive sourcing studies
and administrative reforms, the Forest Service
is consolidating upwards of 1,400 information
technology, financial management, and human
resources jobs from around the United States
and is locating them in a consolidated single
services center located in Albuquerque, New
Mexico. These efforts will save taxpayers more
than $115 million over three years.
Even with these improvements, however, inefficiencies are impeding Forest Service performance. The Budget includes additional reforms to
enhance ongoing Forest Service efforts to improve its accountability and focus on measurable results
in the management of our national forests. These reforms will:
• Significantly reduce overhead, business management, and other indirect costs to improve efficiency and program delivery; and
• Establish a working capital fund for facilities and allow the sale of unneeded facilities, with
receipts being devoted to maintenance or replacement of needed existing facilities.

Research
USDA provides more than $2 billion in funding for research, including over 1,000 ongoing projects
by USDA scientists at over 100 locations, and more than $1 billion through grants and other support
to individuals, as well as to institutions such as land grant universities and State agricultural extension agencies. It is important that these funds be used as effectively as possible. For that reason, the
Administration supports research funding that is provided on a competitive, peer-reviewed basis,
to ensure that the Government funds only the highest quality research targeted primarily toward
national concerns.
The Budget proposes to expand the use of competitive research grants by increasing the National
Research Initiative by $70 million, to $250 million, and establishing a new $75 million program to
provide research grants targeted to regional, State, and local priorities. Funding for these programs

THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006

67

would come from reductions in formula-based research programs, which are generally allocated to
institutions on a non-competitive basis rather than allocating based on performance.

Prioritizing Resource Conservation and Development Funding
Currently, the Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Program provides assistance to
local communities to develop strategic plans that address their locally identified natural resource
and economic development concerns. The program’s long-term goal is to improve the capability of
local communities to plan and deliver improvement projects.
A PART assessment of the program, however, found that it is duplicative of other USDA and Federal resource conservation and rural development programs. Also, the RC&D Program does not prioritize and target funding based on need or performance. Accordingly, the 2006 Budget proposes a
new policy for the RC&D Program that phases out Federal support for the local planning areas after
20 years of support. At that point, these local communities should have the experience and capacity
to identify, plan, and address their priorities. This policy would cancel Federal support for 189 RC&D
areas in the 2006 Budget.
In addition, the Budget proposes to eliminate funding for watershed and flood prevention operations. The resulting savings would be redirected to other high-priority conservation activities within
the Natural Resources Conservation Service budget, most notably to accelerate technical assistance
to help agricultural producers meet regulatory challenges, particularly in the areas of managing livestock and poultry waste.

Dissolving the Rural Telephone Bank
The Rural Telephone Bank (RTB) was designed to provide a commercial source of financing once
it was privatized after 1985. Though RTB has been moving towards privatization for 20 years, the
Bank is still controlled by the Federal Government. When RTB was created in 1972, there were
limited options for rural telecommunications providers to obtain financing outside the Government.
However, a recent analysis estimated that 50 percent of the rural telecommunications capital needs
each year are provided from internal funding, 10 percent from the Rural Utilities Service, seven
percent from RTB, and the remainder (33 percent) from other sources, including the Rural Telephone
Finance Cooperative (private) and the Government-run Universal Service Fund. In addition, funding
for RTB has significantly exceeded demand for financing of rural telecommunications investments.
Currently, there is over $1.3 billion in undisbursed loans.
The Administration proposes to establish the process and terms to implement a dissolution of the
Bank. Dissolution will allow RTB to close as the demand for private lenders has been fulfilled through
other sources. In addition, the stock holders will obtain a cash payout for their stock while removing
this cumbersome program from the Government. This proposal avoids the privatization of a bank
that will either fail or need continued Government support to remain in operation.

68

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

MAKING GOVERNMENT MORE EFFECTIVE—Continued
Update on the President’s Management Agenda
The table below provides an update on USDA’s implementation of the President’s Management
Agenda as of December 31, 2004.

Human Capital

Competitive
Sourcing

Financial
Performance

E-Government

Budget and
Performance
Integration

Status
Progress
Over the past year USDA updated and refocused its Strategic Human Capital Plan. Under the Plan, USDA
implemented a new Performance Management System for 60 percent of its employees that ties individual
performance to accomplishment of USDA’s strategic goals and effectively differentiates among performers.
USDA has strengthened its workforce planning which will help avoid significant gaps in mission critical
occupations through aggressive recruiting for new employees and development of current employees. In
addition, the newly launched online learning system expands training opportunities for employees and provides
better human resource tools for managers. While USDA initially had difficulty with competitive sourcing, in 2004
USDA completed several studies estimated to yield $174 million in savings. USDA made significant progress
on financial management. This past year, USDA submitted its third clean audit opinion on November 15, two
months earlier than last year, and resolved six material weaknesses. USDA completed security certifications on
98 percent of its information technology systems up from zero last year. USDA continues to make progress in the
Budget and Performance Integration initiative by developing meaningful performance measures and reducing
the number of programs that are rated as Results Not Demonstrated.

Initiative

Status

Progress

Faith-Based and Community Initiative
Real Property Asset Management
Eliminating Improper Payments
Since 2004, USDA has raised its status for the Faith-based and Community Initiative from Red to Yellow. USDA
published Department-wide regulations affirming the ability, rights, and responsibilities of faith-based and
community-based organizations to participate in USDA programs, initiated pilot projects and related evaluations
to encourage greater involvement by such organizations, and enhanced outreach and technical assistance
capabilities. As part of the Real Property Asset Management Initiative, USDA is improving its management of its
vast resources (total asset value of $8 billion, consisting of 22,000 buildings and facilities and 3,600 leases)
by completing a draft framework asset management plan; development of an automated inventory database
system; and establishment of a department-wide council to oversee implementation of asset management
performance measures. USDA currently has nine programs, representing 68 percent of total outlays, that are
at risk of or susceptible to improper payments. Efforts include developing measurement plans and beginning
statistical sampling. (Because this is the first quarter that agency efforts in the Eliminating Improper Payments
Initiative were rated, progress scores were not given.)

THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006

69

AGENCY-SPECIFIC GOALS
Nutrition and Health
Food stamps alleviate hunger and malnutrition among low-income individuals. In 2006, the Food
Stamp Program will provide approximately $33.1 billion in benefits to 29.1 million people. The Budget proposes to tighten overly broad waivers from the program’s eligibility criteria. Households which
receive Supplemental Security Income or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families cash assistance
would continue to be automatically eligible for food stamps, while all other individuals would apply
under regular program rules. Additionally, the Administration proposes to work with the Congress to
rename the Food Stamp Program to better represent the Program’s mission of providing nutritional
support to low-income families.
The Administration is committed to improving integrity in the Food Stamp program with the goal
of reducing the national average error rate from 6.64 percent for 2003, to 6.20 percent for 2006. This
improvement is projected to eliminate $146 million in over- and under-paid food stamp benefits in
2006. The Budget provides a new tool for program integrity by allowing States to use the National
Directory of New Hires to verify employment and wage information on food stamp applications and
reports.

Protecting the Nation’s Environment
Healthy Forests Initiative. The President’s Healthy Forests Initiative is reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires by restoring forest and rangeland health. The Budget funds activities that advance
the goals of the Healthy Forests Initiative that will thin overcrowded forests, protect forests from
unnatural insect and disease infestation, and improve wildlife habitat and air and water quality.
The Budget provides $281 million for USDA’s Forest Service and $211 million for the Department
of the Interior for high-priority brush removal and other projects that provide the greatest reduction of risk posed by catastrophic wildfires. The Budget also includes $167 million to monitor the
environmental effects of these and other projects on our national forests. By supporting watershed
enhancements, vegetation management, and forest health research, the Budget improves forest and
rangeland health to protect communities, wildlife habitats, and municipal watersheds from catastrophic fires.
Focusing Conservation Dollars on High Priorities. To help meet scientific, regulatory, and financial challenges, the Department’s primary conservation agency, the Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS), provides assistance to agricultural producers. The 2006 Budget targets funding
to national-level conservation priorities and provides new resources to enhance NRCS’s cooperative
efforts as envisioned in the President’s August 2004 Executive Order. Cooperative conservation ensures that Federal agencies collaborate with their State, local, tribal, and non-governmental partners
to enhance natural resources and protect the environment.
Specifically, the Budget includes an increase of $37 million to provide more conservation technical
assistance to livestock producers to comply with environmental regulations. With this additional
funding, NRCS will work with farmers to develop 3,800 comprehensive nutrient management plans
and apply nutrient management on over 470,000 acres of agricultural land.

70

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

AGENCY-SPECIFIC GOALS—Continued
To help ranchers fight and control invasive
species, the 2006 Budget includes an increase
of $10 million. The National Invasive Species
Council has identified several invasive species
that heavily impact western range lands, such
as the yellow star thistle, leafy spurge, and
tamarisk.
In the 2006 Budget, the Administration is
requesting $274 million for the Conservation
Security Program (CSP), a 35-percent increase. During the first year of enrollment in
2004, the Department signed long-term CSP
contracts with 2,200 farmers and ranchers in
18 priority watersheds around the country. In
2005, the USDA will enlarge the program by
offering enrollment opportunities in about 200 watersheds, and in 2006, the Budget anticipates that
USDA will continue to expand the program by delivering it in an additional 200 watersheds. The
CSP rewards farmers and ranchers for their existing levels of conservation and provides incentives
for them to enhance their environmental stewardship.

Department of Agriculture
(In millions of dollars)
2004
Actual
Spending
Discretionary Budget Authority:
Commodities and International........................................................................
Rural Development ..............................................................................................
Forest Service ........................................................................................................
Conservation ..........................................................................................................
Food and Nutrition Service ...............................................................................
Research .................................................................................................................
Marketing and Regulatory Programs ............................................................
Central Administration ........................................................................................
Subtotal, excluding items below ......................................................................
Receipts ...................................................................................................................
Additional Wildland Fire Suppression ...........................................................
Mandatory savings proposals ..........................................................................
Total, Discretionary budget authority .................................................................

Estimate
2005

2006

3,060
2,449
4,723
1,177
4,930
2,478
1,820
525
21,162
49
—
—
21,113

2,858
2,407
4,278
982
5,578
2,667
1,752
551
21,073
55
394
—
21,412

2,837
2,454
4,063
814
5,858
2,320
1,849
627
20,822
62
—
1,394
19,366

...............

400

553

—

Total, Discretionary outlays ...................................................................................

22,079

21,828

21,238

Memorandum: Budget authority from enacted supplementals

THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006

71

Department of Agriculture—Continued
(In millions of dollars)
2004
Actual

Estimate
2005

2006

Mandatory Outlays:
Food and Nutrition Service ...............................................................................
Commodity Credit Corporation ........................................................................
Crop Insurance ......................................................................................................
Natural Resources Conservation Service ...................................................
Agriculture Marketing Service ..........................................................................
Forest Service ........................................................................................................
Loan liquidating accounts and reestimates .................................................
Receipts and all other programs .....................................................................
Total, Mandatory outlays ........................................................................................

39,814
10,668
3,198
1,396
1,013
664
5,049
2,012
49,692

46,364
24,074
3,297
1,754
1,285
848
3,620
916
73,086

50,064
19,288
3,640
1,949
985
947
3,131
387
73,355

Total, Outlays ..............................................................................................................

71,771

94,914

94,593

Credit activity
Direct Loan Disbursements:
Farm Loans .............................................................................................................
Commodity Credit Corporation ........................................................................
Rural Utilities Service ..........................................................................................
Rural Housing ........................................................................................................
Rural Community and Economic Development .........................................
P.L. 480 .....................................................................................................................
All other programs ................................................................................................
Total, Direct loan disbursements .........................................................................

899
9,150
3,787
1,393
274
411
62
15,976

962
11,944
4,579
1,369
431
100
73
19,458

937
10,106
4,542
1,029
496
42
79
17,231

Guaranteed Loan Commitments:
Farm Loans .............................................................................................................
Commodity Credit Corporation ........................................................................
Rural Utilities Service ..........................................................................................
Rural Housing ........................................................................................................
Rural Business and Community Development ..........................................
Total, Guaranteed loan commitments ................................................................

2,347
2,758
19
3,420
1,063
9,607

2,579
4,528
1,179
2,837
613
11,736

2,510
4,396
30
2,824
925
10,685