Good morning. I want to thank you all for being here today to discuss the Department of Agriculture’s fiscal year 2025 budget request. Secretary Vilsack, I want to welcome you, and I look forward to hearing more about your priorities for the coming year, as well as having a discussion on other important issues under the jurisdiction of this Subcommittee.
USDA’s fiscal year 2025 budget request totals $25.1 billion, an increase of $2.2 billion, or almost 10%, over last year’s levels. As we review the request, we need to have an honest discussion about USDA’s priorities and where our constituents’ hard-earned taxpayer dollars make the greatest impact.
USDA’s most significant increase is for the WIC nutrition program. The budget requests a total of $7.73 billion for the program, which is an additional $700 million above the recently enacted FY 2024 level.
There is bipartisan support for the WIC program, and all of us understand the tremendous benefit provided to mothers, infants, and children when they get a healthy, nutritious start. But if Republicans want to have a conversation about the funding level for the program or suggest it could be anything different from the Biden Administration’s request, we are immediately accused of wanting to harm WIC participants which could not be further from the truth.
There is a limited amount of resources for all of the programs funded by this bill. I think it is reasonable, and quite frankly it is our job as appropriators, to ask questions about the estimates for all of the programs, including WIC. Why does USDA believe WIC participation will increase when USDA’s own data shows that participation has been declining since June of 2023? Why does USDA estimate that food costs will increase, when the White House stated just last week, “Inflation is down by two-thirds from its peak, and costs have fallen for everyday purchases from a gallon of gas to a gallon of milk?” If we fully fund WIC, what programs do you recommend we cut because that is the exact situation we faced when we finalized the FY 2024 bill two weeks ago.
Look across the Department and you find many programs were decreased – even your own office, Mr. Secretary; some programs received level funding; but WIC received the full amount of funding. Now I am not saying that was wrong, but I am saying we should have a conversation to understand why the Biden Administration is requesting such a significant increase for the program when USDA’s actual data is showing otherwise.
I remain concerned that the Commodity Credit Corporation continues to be treated like a slush fund to advance political priorities not directed by Congress. I have read your comments in news articles over the past few weeks suggesting that you can use CCC funds to help farm safety net programs outside of the regular farm bill process. I am perplexed as to how USDA would be able to do this as establishing reference prices and farm programs is done by Congress – the legislative branch, not the executive branch. I hope our colleagues at the House and Senate Ag Committees can complete a farm bill this year, but if not, that does not give USDA the greenlight to start raiding the CCC to set up new programs.
Finally, we need to have an honest discussion about whether the federal government should continue to subsidize unhealthy food in the SNAP program. Over the past 20 years, cities and states have asked USDA for the ability to restrict SNAP purchases of sugary drinks, but each time those requests have been denied. As we work through the FY25 process, it is important that we look for ways to best return SNAP, the largest food assistance program in America, back to its original purpose of elevating the nutrition needs of participants.
Again, I appreciate you being with us, Mr. Secretary, and I look forward to today’s discussion.
