The Alabama Legislature wrapped up its 2019 Regular Session by passing a $7.1 billion Education Trust Fund (ETF) budget, the largest since 2008.

Agricultural and rural program funding, compared to current year, includes:

Rural Broadband Grant Program: $20 million, new
Career Tech Operations & Maintenance: $5 million, no change
Career Tech Initiative: $8,112,239, up $2,651,900 (includes earmarking below)

Career Coaches: $1.7 million, no change
Prostart Career and Education Program: $250,000, new
Imagine Academy, $794,372, no change
Agribusiness Education Program: $451,900, up $51,900

Liberty Learning Foundation: $275,000, up $200,000
Rural Health and Scholars Programs: $2,658,502, up $172,405
Alabama Agricultural Land Grant Alliance: $5,516,283, up $200,000
Soil and Water Conservation Committee: $1,923,376, up $350,000
Resource Conservation and Development: $2,637,744, up $600,000
Alabama Forestry Commission Education Program: $200,000, new
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station: $33,681,139, up $1,609,802
Alabama Cooperative Extension System: $35,367,472, up $1,928,452

Alabama 4-H Center: $250,000, new

The Agribusiness Education Program under the Career Tech Initiative funds programs like Ag in the Classroom. Major ETF budget increases include a 4% pay raise for education employees and a $26.8 million increase for Alabama’s award-winning pre-kindergarten program.