Joint Budget Committee trims Department of Agriculture budget, partially funds animal disease traceability program

The Joint Budget Committee on Friday reduced the Department of Agriculture’s proposed general‑fund appropriations for FY 2025–26, partially approved funding for the department’s animal disease traceability program and advanced a technical reorganization of the long bill.

Phoebe Kanagaraja, JPC staff, told the committee the department originally requested $137,000 and 0.5 FTE for animal disease traceability (ADT) but staff recommended partial, modified approval: $107,000 and 0.5 FTE for FY 2025–26, with $46,300 from the general fund and the remainder from the Agricultural Management Fund (AMF). Kanagaraja said the department’s request was driven by a small federal funding decrease, higher database maintenance costs and operational pressures. "Staff recommendation is partial and modified approval of this department's request," she said.

Why it matters: ADT supports livestock disease control and interstate trade by tracking animal movements and distributing electronic ID tags, Kanagaraja said. She and other staff cited a federal role in ADT and warned that inadequate state funding could affect Colorado livestock producers’ trade. Committee members debated whether general fund dollars should replace federal funding that previously paid personnel costs.

Discussion and key decisions

- Animal disease traceability (R1): Kanagaraja explained the ADT program has about $250,000 in federal funding now and a shortfall of roughly $180,000 after federal support is counted. She described the…