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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 23, 2007
Contact: Robert Guenther at 202-303-3400
Statement Regarding Markup by
House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research
Washington, DC (May 23, 2007) – The Specialty Crop Farm
Bill Alliance (SCFBA), a coalition of more than 100 groups representing the
producers of fruits, vegetables and horticulture crops, applauds the House
Agriculture Committee for commencing the markup process of the 2007 Farm
Bill. The SCFBA through a consensus building process involving all our
members has over the past two years developed a comprehensive set of priorities
for the Farm Bill. These priorities, including those for research,
conservation, and renewable energy have been incorporated into H.R. 1600, the EAT Healthy America Act of 2007.
The SCFBA’s goals for the conservation title are to
increase our grower’s access and participation in this Farm Bill by providing
increased visibility and technical support for conservation programs within the
grower community. The conservation title that was considered by the
subcommittee yesterday took important steps in that direction. In
particular, the Conservation Innovation Grants can be used effectively to
encourage grower participation. In addition, the creation of the
Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative will help encourage overall
participation while specifically helping specialty crop growers carry out
requirements for Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and food safety
enhancements. We are also grateful that the subcommittee supported the
inclusion of an amendment offered by Representatives Dennis Cardoza (D-CA) and
Jim Costa (D-CA) that altered AGI limits which will increase the ability for
many producers of high value commodities to participate in conservation
programs and an amendment which would encourage the development of voluntary
“sustainable” practices. These
amendments were strongly supported by the SCFBA.
In addition, as part of the research title, the coalition
applauds the inclusion of a provision that establishes a specialty crop
research initiative for producers to improve efficiency and competitiveness and
a provision that prioritizes current federal research activities for specialty
crops by improving coordination of USDA’s research activities with the
specialty crop industry.
Finally, the coalition strongly
supports the amendment that was offered by Representative John Salazar (D-CO)
and was approved by the subcommittee to the energy title
to clarify that specialty crop waste and residues are understood to qualify as
agricultural cellulosic biomass.
We appreciate the subcommittee’s interest in the needs and
Farm Bill priorities of the specialty crop industry. We look forward to
working cooperatively with the members of the House Agriculture Committee as
the Farm Bill advances through the committee process and is considered on the
House floor to more fully address the policy priorities incorporated in H.R.
1600 and specialty crop amendments that were not approved today by the
subcommittee. We believe this is an
historic opportunity to develop federal farm policy that promotes a vibrant
specialty crop industry and will continue to work to ensure that this
opportunity is not abandoned.
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More information about the
Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance,
including a list of supporting organizations and Farm Bill
principles, is available at www.competitiveagriculture.org.
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