On March 28, President Biden released his FY 2023 budget proposal. The proposal outlines the Administration’s funding priorities, including for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Of note, the proposal calls for increases to agricultural research programs, including USDA’s in-house research agency, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), as well as the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), which supports USDA’s extramural research programs. The budget emphasizes agricultural research as part of a whole-of-Government approach to addressing the climate crisis, including increased support for USDA’s climate hubs. Overall, it calls for $4 billion to support USDA’s research, education, and outreach programs.
Other priorities of note include support for: defending against catastrophic wildfires, including investments in ecosystem restoration; building upon pandemic response and food supply chains; and establishing partnerships with Congress and stakeholders to inform the 2023 Farm Bill process. Additionally, the EPA would receive increased funding to support staffing, water infrastructure and tackling the climate crisis.
Original source can be found here.