From the National Assn. of Wheat Growers:
In mid-January house democrats proposed an $825 billion stimulus measure including $275 billion in tax breaks and $550 billion in spending that touches almost every area of the federal budget including agriculture.
The bill included $245 million for Farm Service Agency information technology systems considered necessary to implement the 2008 Farm Bill.
An additional $209 million was included for Agricultural Research Service facilities across the country. ARS has a list of deferred maintenance projects at its facilities worth roughly $315 million.
Other funding items included:
- $100 million to guarantee $2 billion in loans for farming, ethanol production and other rural business activities.
- $8 billion to guarantee up to $80 billion in loans for proven renewable and transmission technologies.
- $2 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy research, development and deployment.
- $1.5 billion to support $3.8 billion in grants and loans to help rural communities fund drinking water and wastewater treatment systems.
- $400 million for Natural Resources Conservation Service watershed improvement programs.
- $2.825 billion for rural broadband infrastructure.
- $20 billion for food stamps.
- $30 billion in highway infrastructure.
For more on items included in the House proposal, including bill text, please visit:
http://appropriations.house.gov/
