A vote for a do nothing bill

I heard a couple of sobering comments last week on Capitol Hill.


"A majority of Senators would be happy with a do nothing farm bill." "If you put it to a vote, most Senators would vote for a do nothing farm bill."


Of course, these revelations shouldn't be surprising. The status quo tends to perpetuate itself. But it more clearly defines the challenges for fruit and vegetable advocates in the months ahead.


Also, there was more skepticism about the $2.75 billion that the USDA set aside in their 10-year farm bill proposal for "additional fruit and vegetable purchases" for distribution in food assistance programs. The Congressional Budget Office scored the proposal as zero impact on the budget because the purchases lie within their existing authority and the USDA didn't specify how much of their commodity purchases would be f/v versus other commodities. The USDA either had to pick a fight (with other commodity groups) or spend more money, and the agency did neither.


A more clearly defined benefit to the industry from the Administration would have been to advocate for $2.75 billion over 10 years to fund expansion of the fruit and vegetable program.

There are significant challenges ahead in the quest to fund industry priorities, particularly considering the budget outlook and the propensity for a do-nothing farm bill. This will be the best farm bill ever for fruits and vegetable, but as one Capitol Hill source said, "when the bar is on the ground it doesn't take much to be the best ever." Raising the bar to meaningful heights is the task ahead.