House Appropriations Committee Advances FY 2027 Agriculture Appropriations Bill

On April 30, the House Appropriations Committee advanced its fiscal year (FY) 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies appropriations bill by a vote of 35-25. Per the draft bill, the topline discretionary allocation is $26.27 billion, $380 million (1.4%) below FY 2026 of which the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would receive $22.5 billion, $675 million or 3 percent below the FY 2026 enacted level.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)

Within the bill NIFA would receive $1.642 billion, a decrease of $34.3 million below the FY 2026 enacted level. Per the report accompanying the bill, funding for capacity programs is flat, a stark contrast to the proposed cuts and eliminations proposed by the Trump Administration. The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) would receive $435 million, flat with FY 2026. The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program would be reduced by $8 million, and the Sun Grant and Farm Business Programs would be increased $500,000 each. The House bill once again allows the matching requirement for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative to be waived by the Secretary of Agriculture.

The Committee provides no funding for the following NIFA programs:

• Rural Health and Safety Initiative
• Continuing Animal H&D Program
• Secondary and 2-year Post-Secondary Education
• Research Equipment Grants
• Global Change UV Monitoring
• Open Data Standards for Neutral Data Repository
• Methyl Bromide Transition Program

Report language encouraging NIFA to support the Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes and “renew the five current institutes at current funding levels for the next five years, and to begin planning a process for these institutes to become permanent” is included. The report also “encourages NIFA to prioritize competitive research proposals from land-grant institutions that develop and deploy agricultural AI applications for specialty crop production, including technologies to mechanize harvesting, expand precision agriculture tools, and address critical invasive species and plant disease threats,” and consider the designation of Centers of Excellence at land-grant institutions that demonstrate leadership in AI research and innovation.

The Committee reaffirms support for the Research Facilities Act with this included report language, “The Committee recognizes the need for facility improvements at our nation’s land-grant universities and notes that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119–21) provided $125,000,000 per year in perpetuity for the Research Facilities Act.”

The report also urges USDA to consider awarding no less than 15% of funding available under the Grants and Fellowships for Food and Agricultural Sciences Education program to two-year institutions for grants related to agricultural conservation education and workforce development. Additional directions are given for Agricultural Research Enhancement Awards, citrus disease research, the Farm and Stress Assistance Network program, 1862/1890 partnerships, and numerous other programs.

Additional details will be provided after the markup. To watch the markup or review the bill and report, please click here. 

House Advances Farm Bill

The House Farm Bill, H.R. 7567 - Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, was passed today (April 30) on a vote of 224-200, with three Republicans voting against the bill while 14 Democrats voted in favor. This ends a week filled with highly contentious debate, delays, and at one point, suggestions the bill be pulled entirely. Spurring passage was the stripping of year-round E15 (it will be considered on its own at a later date) and bipartisan passage (280-142) of an amendment that strips language on pesticide labeling uniformity.

Following passage of the bill, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) released a statement applauding the passage and stated, “I remain committed to working with my colleagues in the Senate to continue this momentum and deliver Farm Bill 2.0 to the president’s desk to be signed into law. I look forward to releasing legislative text in the coming weeks.”

The Financial Accountability in Research (FAIR) Model (Webinar Recording)

On Wednesday, April 8, APLU hosted a briefing for BAA leadership with APLU's Debbie Altenburg, VP, Research Policy, and Advocacy and Dr. Kelvin Drogemier, Chair of the Subject Matter Expert committee for the Joint Association Group (JAG) on Indirect Costs (and current Special Advisor to the Chancellor for Science and Policy, University of Illinois- Urbana-Champaign), to discuss the state of play regarding federal grant indirect rate policy negotiations, the FAIR model, and how these intersect with USDA-funded research.

A recording of the webinar can be viewed here.

Passcode: FD1szF=8

Last year, APLU and several other national organizations came together to form the Joint Associations Group (JAG) on Indirect Costs and developed an efficient and transparent alternative model for how the federal government reimburses universities for the costs associated with conducting research on behalf of the American people, the Financial Accountability in Research (FAIR) model. Long term, APLU and the JAG associations will be advocating for the FAIR model to be adopted by federal agencies to support the true costs of conducting research. It is important for the BAA to consider if the agricultural research community might join these efforts.

Additional resources on the current status of USDA indirect rates and the FAIR model are available here:

• NIFA explainer on indirect rates
• USDA indirect rates explainer from the University of Wisconsin
• APLU website on F&A and JAG 
• White paper on the FAIR model link and PDF

USDA Reorganization and Restructuring of Research, Education, and Economics Mission Areas Moves Ahead

As part of this effort, Research, Education, and Economics (REE) agencies will relocate certain positions currently based in the National Capital Region (NCR) to locations across the country, bringing research closer to our stakeholders. The Economic Research Service (ERS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) employees will be relocating some positions from the NCR to their offices in Kansas City. In addition, ERS and NIFA positions that were moved to Kansas City in 2019 and have since sprawled across the country will be relocated to Kansas City, as originally intended.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will be relocating some positions located in the NCR, as well as some positions outside the NCR, to St. Louis or other NASS offices. NASS will also be maintaining a field presence to continue to collect information and provide vital statistical services to American farmers and ranchers.

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) will begin decommissioning the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) and relocating research programs to facilities across the country better aligned with regional agricultural needs. BARC currently includes more than 400 buildings, many of which are outdated or underutilized, and requires significant deferred maintenance and ongoing investment. Transitioning these programs will allow USDA to modernize its research footprint, improve safety, and better connect researchers with the producers they serve. ARS has evaluated its nationwide footprint to identify locations best suited to absorb ongoing research, ensuring continuity while increasing opportunities for collaboration with farmers and industry partners.

Click here to view the full press release. 

Congressional Updates for FY 2027 and the Farm Bill

The House released its bill for the FY27 Agriculture appropriations process last week. The bill includes "critical investments in agriculture research, rural development loan programs, and animal and plant health programs." It also provides "funding for land-grant universities to conduct agriculture research to ensure American producers are better equipped to compete with China." 

The appropriations committee released a detailed funding summary page which highlights the following funding points: 

• “Provides $22.5 billion for the Department of Agriculture, which is $675 million below the FY26 enacted level.”
• “$1.642 billion for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), which is $34.3 million below the FY26 enacted level. Includes level funding for competitive research and capacity programs that support our nation’s land-grant universities and reduces or eliminates funding for several low priority research programs.”
• “$1.795 billion for the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), which is $2.8 million above the FY26 enacted program level. Includes increases for high-priority initiatives, addresses emerging pests and diseases, and eliminates funding for climate hubs.”

Full funding level details will not be released until 24 hours before the Full Committee markup. However, preliminary topline numbers are as follows: 

• NIFA Research & Education: $1,046,500,000 ($11.5M less than the FY 26 House mark of $1.058B and $30.3M less than the FY 26 minibus)
• NIFA Extension Activities: $557,100,000 ($1.1M more than the FY 26 House mark and $3.9M less than the FY 26 minibus)
• NIFA Integrated Activities: $39,100,000 ($1M less than both the FY 26 House mark and FY 26 minibus)
• Native American Institutions Endowment Fund: $11,880,000 (Flat)

The full bill text is located here. 

The House Agriculture Committee is moving forward with the Farm Bill. As of April 27, there were over 300 amendments submitted to the Rules Committee. However, just because an amendment was submitted does not necessarily mean it will be considered. Lewis Burke will monitor amendments of interest throughout the process. Amendments can be monitored here. 

Finally, Secretary Rollins recently testified before both House and Senate Committees on FY27 budget requests. 

All of this information is publicly available and APLU will distribute a full detailed analysis within the next few days. 

Nominations for Individual and Team Excellence in Extension Awards Due

Please be alert for a contact from your Regional Executive Director or Administrator regarding your region’s nomination process for the Excellence in Extension Individual and Team Awards. Individual and Team nominations are due May 1. The National Extension Award for Innovative Programming that Addresses New Audiences nominations are due June 1. Please see the awards website for more details. 

NIFA & APLU Seek Nominations for Knapp Lecture

This year, NIFA and APLU are seeking nominations for the prestigious Knapp Lecture. The lecture commemorates the efforts of Seaman A. Knapp, considered by many to be the founder of the Cooperative Extension System. He pioneered a demonstration system for teaching farmers about modern, research-based agricultural techniques, laying the groundwork for Extension as we know it today.  

We are seeking an insightful topic and a dynamic speaker who can provoke discussion among meeting participants and prepare a formal lecture to be presented prior to the APLU Annual Meeting. While we seek recommendations from those within the Land-grant University system, we also encourage you to share this information with colleagues outside of the research, education, and Extension system, including stakeholders, foundations, or public interest groups. Nominations are encouraged from all sources. 

Recommendations should include the name of the nominee, title, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and topic that could be discussed. Please submit your potential topic and/or presenter on or before June 5, 2026. Recommendations should be submitted electronically using this form. A committee will review submissions and select a lecturer.

Growing Together: Conversations with CEOs

APLU’s Board of Agriculture’s interview series “Growing Together: Conversations with CEOs” showcases Presidents and CEOs of national agricultural associations, commodity groups, and other organizations and explores their powerful synergies with land-grant universities.

Colin Woodall, Chief Executive Officer, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

Colin Woodall is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and leads the country’s oldest and largest national trade association for cattle producers in being the trusted voice and definitive leader of the beef industry.

"Land‑grant universities are leading important work on the future of cattle and beef production...[to] help producers do more with less in a resource‑constrained world. Right now, however, the most urgent challenge is finding new ways to combat the New World Screwworm. Land‑grant researchers are essential partners in developing innovative control methods, and Cooperative Extension plays a critical role in educating producers about prevention and detection." - Colin Woodall

Read the full interview.

  

ECOP First Friday Update Available

On April 3^rd, ECOP held an informative First Friday Update.

• Lisa Townson discussed the progress of the Nutrition and Health Tiger Team
• Gregg Hadley provided an update from the Professional Development Committee, which included information on expanded recognition of Extension awardees at the September NEDA Meeting
• Tom Dobbins shared information about future Program Committee investments in the Program Action Teams
• Justin Rhinehart gave an update on the newly formed Artificial Intelligence Program Action Team
• APLU’s Doug Steele and Lewis Burke’s Dominique Foster provided a briefing on recent happenings in Washington, DC.

Webinar: A Comprehensive Overview of "A Study of Land-grant University Federal Capacity Funding"

Thursday, April 9 | 4:00-5:15 pm ET

This webinar is designed for individuals who have not yet had the opportunity to hear Wendy Fink’s presentation on the Tripp Umbach, Phase 1 report on federal capacity funding and would like to learn more about the Board on Agriculture Assembly's Federal Capacity Funding Initiative. The analysis and key findings are based upon survey results from 94 capacity-eligible institutions. The webinar will cover:

• What are USDA Capacity Funding Grant Programs?
• What does Capacity Funding Enable?
• BAA’s Capacity Initiative’s Three Phases​
• Phase One: Key Takeaways​
• What Can You Do to Help with This Effort?

Welcome:
Christopher Daubert, Chair, BAA’s Administrative Heads Section
Vice Chancellor and Dean
College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
University of Missouri 

James Pritchett, Chair, BAA’s Communications and Marketing Committee
Vice President for Engagement and Extension
Colorado State University

Presenters:
Wendy Fink
Executive Director - Academic Programs Section, BAA and
Associate Vice President, Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources 
APLU

Marcus Glassman
Executive Director, Council on Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET)
Director, Governmental Affairs
APLU

Register here.

USDA NIFA Releases 2027 President’s Budget

USDA NIFA released the 2027 President’s Budget Request. The line by line is available here (see pages 21-42, 21-43, and 21-44). A full analysis is currently being conducted by Lewis Burke and will be available later this week. 

USDA General Terms & Conditions Update, NIFA GT&Cs Webinar Scheduled for April 15

NIFA will host a webinar on Wednesday, April 15 at 1:00 p.m. CDT to introduce the newly established USDA General Terms and Conditions and discuss updates to NIFA’s agency‑specific Terms and Conditions. 

Register here: USDA’s New General Terms and Conditions and NIFA’s Updated Requirements: A Comprehensive Overview