BUDGET The budget continues to be worked on in the House and Senate.

Each house will debate and vote on their respective versions of the budget on February 23. Shortly thereafter, the conferees will be appointed to work out differences in the different versions of the budget. The following are budget items that Farm Bureau is supporting: Ag BMPS and Soil and Water Conservation Districts -- Senator Hanger and Delegate Landes are carrying several budget amendments to restore $2.046 million for local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, to increase funding for both technical assistance and agriculture conservation practices in FY13 by $5.1 million and $25.5 million for FY14 to ramp up funding for agriculture conservation practices and technical assistance. Coyote Program -- Senator Ruff and Delegate Poindexter Ruff are carrying budget amendments to restore $40,000 to bring the program back to a minimal amount needed to operate. This is an incremental approach to get this program better funded over the next few years. Reforestation of Timberland (RT) Program - Senator Hanger and Delegate Sherwood are carrying budget amendments to fulfill this obligation with an additional $958,262. Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) /Agriculture Experiment Station (AES) --Senators Edwards and Hanger and Delegate Sherwood are carrying budget amendments to help VCE get one step closer towards meeting this goal. Their amendments would provide 10 additional agents in FY13 as well as 4 researchers in the AES system.