General fund–state (GFS) appropriations for the Department of Agriculture were effectively flat from 2011–13 through 2019–21. Then, appropriations (adjusted for inflation) jumped 120.8% in 2021–23 and another 46.4% in 2023–25. Now, the department is requesting an increase of 56.7% for 2025–27. The total requested GFS increase of $89.3 million is comprised of a carry-forward level decrease of $49.6 million, a maintenance level increase of $5.9 million, and a policy level increase of $133.0 million. (See the box at the bottom of this post for budget and fund terminology.)

The largest driver of the recent increases to the Department of Agriculture’s budget has been food assistance, which was increased in response to the pandemic. GFS funding for food assistance was $12.9 million in 2019–21 and $50.0 million in 2021–23. On top of that, the state used federal pandemic relief funds for additional food assistance.

According to the Department of Agriculture’s budget request, the carry-forward level for 2025–27 includes $41.2 million from the GFS for food assistance. If the state funded just that amount, it would still be 159.6% higher than GFS funding in 2019–21 (adjusted for inflation).

But the department is going further and requesting $93.3 million in 2025–27 and $93.3 million in 2027–29 to add to this historically high level of funding for food assistance.

(Previous posts on 2025–27 agency requests are here. Our reports on the projected 2025–27 budget shortfall are here and here.)