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News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 7, 2007
Contact: Robert Guenther (202-303-3409)
Washington,
DC (June 7, 2007) – The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) commends the
efforts of the U.S. House of Representatives Horticulture and Organic Agriculture
Subcommittee to begin the process of creating a more comprehensive and equitable
farm bill that addresses the needs of specialty crop producers. The title for the new farm bill approved by the
subcommittee, chaired by Representative Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), acknowledges
several key priorities for the SCFBA including block grants, pest detection
protections, food safety, transportation infrastructure, and return Agriculture
Quarantine Inspection activities to USDA.
Unfortunately, the title does not include adequate funding for many of these
initiatives and leaves several needs identified in H.R.
1600, the Equitable Agriculture Today for
a Healthy America Act (EAT
Healthy America
Act unaddressed. H.R. 1600 was introduced
in March by Reps. Cardoza (D-CA), Randy Kuhl (R-NY), John Salazar (D-CO), Adam
Putnam (R-FL), Rick Larsen (D-WA), and Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and is cosponsored
by 119 Members of Congress. The
SCFBA strongly supports the introduction and consideration by Congress of H.R.
1600 as part of the farm bill debate.
Under
stringent budget rules, the House Agriculture Committee has no ready funding
for programs to address specialty crop needs.
SCFBA recognizes these parameters for new programs in the 2007 farm
bill, but maintains that it is critical for Congress to find the funding for
investment in specialty crops at this time.
As so many have recognized, now is the time to begin the framework for
bringing equity to farm policy that recognizes the importance of specialty
crops to agriculture in all 50 states. The
SCFBA will continue to work with the members of the agriculture committees in
the House and the Senate and with the leadership of both parties to identify
funding opportunities available for specialty crop producers.
Specialty
crops compose nearly 50 percent of the farm gate value of U.S. agriculture and should be
included in the farm bill on an equal basis with program crops. The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance will work
hard to achieve an equitable spending balance as the farm bill is considered in
the agriculture committees and on the floors of the House and Senate.
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