Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Bud Cramer (D-Ala.) announced today that the U.S. House of Representatives approved the conference report for the Fiscal Year 2006 Agriculture Appropriations Bill.  This final report provides $17.1 billion for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and programs supporting farmers, ranchers, and rural America.

Cramer, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, included in this legislation $599,000 for Precision Agriculture at the Tennessee Valley Research Center in Belle Mina.  In FY 2005, Cramer secured $604,000 for this center.

"I recently visited the Tennessee Valley Research Center in Belle Mina and strongly believe that the research being performed at the Tennessee Valley Research Center and on farms across the valley will go a long way to help our farmers increase production and produce a more consistent crop," said Cramer.  "This funding is a good shot in the arm for the program and will help the Center continue its important research."

Also included in the final Agriculture Appropriations Bill was $51.3 million for Resource Conservation and Development programs.

The Agriculture Bill also includes over $1 billion for the Farm Service Agency, $1.3 billion for agriculture research, and $702 million for the Rural Community Advancement Program.  In addition, the bill includes $12.7 billion for Child Nutrition Programs, $5.3 billion for Nutrition Programs for Women, Infants, and Children.