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July 3, 2007

 

The Honorable Collin Peterson
Chairman
The Honorable Robert Goodlatte
Ranking Member
House Committee on Agriculture
1301 Longworth House Office Building

Washington, DC

Dear Chairman Peterson and Ranking Member Goodlatte:


We are writing you today in response to the announcement that the renewal of the 2007 Farm Bill will be addressed with two separate pieces of legislation. The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, representing 110 domestic specialty crop organizations strongly believes only one version of the 2007 Farm Bill should be brought before the Agriculture Committee so that mandatory funding is available to all sectors of agriculture. We adamantly oppose addressing federal farm policy by way of two separate pieces of legislation which reserves the bulk of mandatory funds for only those benefiting from the existing Farm Bill provisions.

 

In the coming days, your Committee will markup the 2007 Farm Bill and we believe that this legislation should contain the priorities identified in H.R. 1600, the Equitable Agriculture Today for a Healthy America Act (EAT Healthy America Act). This legislation has 119 cosponsors and represents the policies supported by over 350 different specialty crops including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, grapes, nursery and landscape material.

 

H.R. 1600 makes America healthier and offers dietary options that can help reduce childhood obesity by expanding the USDA Fruit & Vegetable Snack Program to all 50 states; provides critical trade assistance and market promotion tools that will grow international markets for specialty crops; expands research and APHIS initiatives to combat pest and disease reducing the economic losses to plant agriculture; invests in “cutting-edge” research making the nation’s food supply safer, more economical, better-tasting and nutritious; and expands funding for “State Specialty Crop Competitiveness” projects in all 50 states which have a proven track record of delivering results.  

 

The Farm Bill is no longer just about domestic support programs and it’s not enough for the Agriculture Committee to continue down the same decades-old path addressing only the needs of the traditional program crops. The new Farm Bill should embody the current priorities of all of agriculture many of which are reflected in H.R. 1600.  As this Farm Bill moves through the committee process, we look forward to working with you in bringing equity to farm policy and include a level of mandatory funding that recognizes the importance of specialty crops to agriculture in all 50 states. 

 

Sincerely,

 


American Mushroom Institute

American Nursery and Landscape Association

Cherry Marketing Institute

Leafy Greens Council

National Berry Crop Initiative

National Grape Cooperative Association

National Grape and Wine Initiative

National Onion Association

National Potato Council

National Watermelon Association

North American Blueberry Council

North American Bramble Growers Association

North American Strawberry Growers Association

Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.

Produce Marketing Association

Society of American Florists

U.S. Apple Association

United Fresh Produce Association

United Potato Growers of America

Welch’s

WineAmerica

Winegrape Growers of America

Alabama Watermelon Association

Arizona Winegrowers Association

Blue Diamond Growers

Buy California Marketing Agreement

California Association of Nurseries & Garden Centers

California Association of Wine Grape Growers

California Citrus Mutual

California Dried Plum Board

California Fig Institute

California Fresh Fig Growers Association

California Grape and Tree Fruit League

California Strawberry Commission

California Table Grape Commission

California Tree Fruit Agreement

California Walnut Commission

California-Arizona Watermelon Association

Grower-Shipper Association of Central California

Sun Maid Growers

Sunkist Growers, Inc.

Western Growers

Western Pistachio Association

Wine Institute

Colorado Potato Administrative Committee

Colorado Wine Industry Development Board

Rocky Mountain Association of Vintners & Viticulturists

Connecticut Farm Wine Development Council

Connecticut Vineyard & Winery Association

Florida Citrus Mutual

Florida Citrus Packers

Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association

Florida Strawberry Growers Association

Florida Tomato Exchange

Florida Watermelon Association

Indian River Citrus League

Miami-Dade County

Peace River Valley Citrus Growers Association

Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association

Georgia Watermelon Association

Winegrowers Association of Georgia

Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission

Idaho Grower Shippers Association

Idaho Potato Commission

Potato Growers of Idaho

United Fresh Potato Growers of Idaho

Indiana-Illinois Watermelon Association

Northern Kentucky Vintners & Grape Growers Association

Maine Potato Board

Wild Blueberry Commission

Maryland-Delaware Watermelon Association

Maryland Wineries Association

New England Vegetable and Berry Growers

Michigan Apple Committee

WineMichigan

Minnesota Area II Potato Growers Research and Promotion Council

Minnesota Grape Growers Association

Northern Plains Potato Growers

Missouri Wine & Grape Board

Missouri-Arkansas Watermelon Association

New Mexico Wine Growers Association

Empire State Potato Growers

New York Wine & Grape Foundation

North Carolina Grape & Wine Council

North Carolina Potato Association

North Carolina Strawberry Association

North Carolina Watermelon Association

Fruit Growers Marketing Association

Ohio Wine Producers Association

Oklahoma Grape Growers & Wine Makers Association

Oregon Potato Commission

Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission

Oregon Strawberry Commission

Oregon Winegrowers Association

Peerbolt Crop Management

South Carolina Watermelon Association

Tennessee Farm Winegrowers Association

Texas Citrus Mutual

Texas Produce Association

Texas Vegetable Association

Texas Wine & Grape Growers Association

Texas-Oklahoma Watermelon Association

Virginia Apple Growers Association

Virginia Wineries Association

Northwest Horticultural Council

Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers

Washington Red Raspberry Commission

Washington Apple Commission

Washington State Potato Commission

Wyoming Grape & Wine Association

 

 


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