Agricultural education programs were funded in the Education Trust Fund (ETF) budget, which passed the House of Representatives Tuesday. The legislation also provides a 2.5 percent raise for teachers.

The Alabama Farmers Federation’s David Cole thanked the House Ways and Means Education Committee for its work on the bill. 

“Chairman Bill Poole does a great job documenting and evaluating every budget request,” said Cole, the Federation’s legislative programs director in the House. “He and the committee balance educational needs in the state to make sure taxpayers get the most value out of their hard-earned dollars.”

The $6.6 billion budget passed by a vote of 102-0 and now heads to the Senate for consideration. It includes $5 million for Career Tech Operations and Management and $5.4 million for the Career Tech Initiative and other agricultural education programs.

Funding for rural health programs and the Alabama Agricultural Land Grant Alliance was maintained. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station would receive slight increases under the plan.