RELEASE: Letter from the Breakthrough Institute, Others Warns Against Agriculture Cuts as Congress Kicks Off FY26 Budget Process

Washington, DC — February 12, 2025 — In a letter delivered to lawmakers last week, the Breakthrough Institute and dozens of others emphasized the importance of a strong 302(b) allocation for the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittees this spring. The letter was signed by 40+ stakeholders including scientific societies, agriculture commodity groups, and agricultural research supporters.

The House and Senate Budget committees will kick off the budget process for fiscal year 2026 this month. This process will dictate the resources allocated to the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittees as they take up the task of determining the next year of discretionary spending for USDA programs.

The letter highlights how agriculture appropriations spending not only failed to keep up with inflation in recent years, but also trailed the majority of other discretionary spending accounts over the last decade. Growing budgetary pressures are expected to further constrain any ability of this Congress to significantly increase agricultural research spending needed to improve productivity and sustainability outcomes in U.S. agriculture.

With farmers facing growing production costs, industry anticipating new trade headwinds, and consumers struggling with rising food prices, now is not the time to reduce support for essential rural and agricultural programs.

Click here to read the full letter.

Signers:

2Blades

agInnovation North Central

Agricultural & Applied Economics Association

American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges

American Institute of Biological Sciences

American Phytopathological Society

American Seed Trade Association

American Society for Horticultural Science

American Society for Nutrition

American Society of Agronomy

American Society of Plant Biologists

American Soybean Association

Association of 1890 Research Directors

Carbon Removal Alliance

Carbon180

CEA Alliance

Ceres

Crop Science Society of America

CropLife America

Entomological Society of America

Farm Journal Foundation

Federation of American Scientists

Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)

Kansas State University

Lithos Carbon

National Association of Wheat Growers

National Barley Improvement Committee

National Coalition for Food and Agricultural Research

National Grange

Soil Science Society of America

Spark Climate Solutions

Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council

The Breakthrough Institute

The Fertilizer Institute

The Good Food Institute

The Nature Conservancy

UNDO

Union of Concerned Scientists

USA Rice

Washington State University

Woodwell Climate Research Center

World Coffee Research

Yale University

Yard Stick PBC

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Media Contact:

Emily Bass

Associate Director of Federal Policy, Food and Agriculture

emily@thebreakthrough.org