As we’ve reported previously, federal spending authority for FY 2021 runs out 11 December. While Congress is considering a broad-based spending bill, the agriculture appropriations bill was released by the Senate last week. The bill provides $23.33 billion in annual discretionary funding for USDA. The House passed version of the Ag Appropriations bill is pegged at $23.98 billion. The FY 2020 enacted appropriations totaled $23.493 billion.  The Senate bill expressly states that it does not include COVID related funding, i.e. “… the Committee’s regular fiscal year 2021 appropriations bill is focused on annual funding needs unrelated to the COVID–19 pandemic.” It provides for slight increases in most...