President requests increased Agriculture, Interior budget for FY 2022

President Biden is requesting an 8.8% increase in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget, which would go toward increases in discretionary funding across the board, including new funding for climate change and other administration priorities.

The budget request for $1.52 trillion released April 9 does not provide program level funding for most departments, but indicates the administration’s priorities moving forward. Under the proposal, the Department of the Interior would see a 16% increase, from $17.4 billion to $2.4 billion. The Department of Agriculture would also see a 16% increase. Further details from the administration are forthcoming.

Highlights from the budget request include:

• Significant investments by the U.S. Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to support the health and resilience of public and private lands, within the context of conserving 30% of the nation’s land and water by 2030.
• An increase of $40 million for USDA’s climate hubs to expand climate science tools and increase landowner engagement in efforts to combat climate change.
• An increase of $200 million for science at the U.S. Geological Survey and other Interior agencies to provide information about the impacts of climate change and develop mitigation, adaptation and resilience efforts.
• An additional $200 million for science-driven conservation within Interior, supporting the goal of conserving 30% of the nation’s land and water by 2030, including through voluntary actions and incentives that support the stewardship efforts of farmers, ranchers and other private landowners.
• Support for the Civilian Climate Corps to develop the next generation of conservation workers.
• Funding to rebuild Interior’s core functions and capacities that have diminished in recent years by investing in USGS science and staffing and core operations for national parks, wildlife refuges and public lands.

Congressional appropriators have begun the process of developing appropriations bills for FY 2022. They may consider the administration’s budget request during that process, but are not obligated to follow it.