House appropriators today released a $140.7 billion agriculture spending plan for next fiscal year that includes decreases in most farm programs, including conservation and agricultural research.

The bill also would provide only $180 million for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the agency tasked with carrying out the 2010 financial reform act and setting limits on excessive speculation in the oil and gas futures market. The commission had asked for a 50 percent budget increase from $205 million to $308 million.

The bill will be marked up tomorrow in the full House Appropriations Committee. In all, it would provide $19.4 billion in discretionary funding for agriculture and related agencies, a reduction of $365 million from the fiscal 2012 level and $1.7 billion from the Obama administration's request.

"This bill provides responsible funding for the programs and services they need, and helps promote development and economic growth in rural communities across the country," House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) said today in a statement.

But Appropriations ranking member Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) criticized the proposal, saying it underfunds financial reform, the Food and Drug Administration, and nutrition programs.

"After reneging on the bipartisan Budget Control Act, Republican leadership decided to reserve the very worst austerity for the last few discretionary appropriations bills," Dicks said in a statement. "We are now beginning to see the harsh details of Ryan Budget austerity for domestic priorities in FY2013."

Earlier this year, Senate appropriators unanimously approved a $20.1 billion discretionary spending bill for agriculture programs and FDA (E&ENews PM, April 26).

The House bill would provide $812 million, or $16 million less than current levels, for federal agriculture officials to carry out conservation programs, such as those that help farmers make environmental improvements on their land.

Agricultural research programs on crop diseases, water quality and food safety would also take a hit. They would receive $2.5 billion, a reduction of $35 million from fiscal 2012 levels.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the agency responsible for controlling plant and animal pests, would receive $787 million, a $33 million reduction.

Other cuts would be made to FDA, the food stamps program, rural economic development programs and food inspection programs. The Agriculture Department agency tasked with handing out loans and subsidies to farmers would lose about $23.8 million.

"This legislation builds on the bipartisan work of our subcommittee to support agriculture and nutrition," said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), who chairs the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA.

The cuts to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission are not likely to sit well with Democrats on the Appropriations Committee. At hearings earlier this year on the bill, members of the subpanel were split down party lines on whether to grant the requested increase.

"This Agriculture bill emphasizes a naive 'self-regulatory' approach with Wall Street," Dicks said today. "The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is cut 41 percent below the President's request and represents another attempt by Republican leadership to underfund financial reform efforts in the wake of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression."

House Democrats pushed for the budget increase as gas pump prices soared, saying the agency needed more money to help stop rampant speculation in the oil and gas futures markets. But Republicans in the appropriations subpanel questioned whether the agency's workload warranted a big spending increase.