New big money for f/v priorities

A staffer with Rep. Dennis Cardoza reports that the updated mark from House Agriculture Committe chairman Collin Peterson, to be unveiled tomorrow, will feature big increases in paid-for fruit and vegetable/specialty crop priorities. How big? The fruit and vegetable snack program goes from relying totally on reserve funds to being allocated $350 million in real money over five years. Specialty crop block grants go from $265 million over five years to $365 million over five years. There is $215 million for specialty crop research and $30 million in additional funds for organic research. And more.

All together, the new chairman's mark will reportedly include $1.6 billion for specialty crops over five years, well more than double from Peterson's first mark. Savings were found in crop insurance programs to help fund the increases in f/v programs.

Don't pop the champagne corks just yet - there may be amendments offered in committee over the next two days to strip away some of this funding - but the stage appears to be set for strong industry support of Peterson's mark of the farm bill.

From this report, Rep. Cardoza, with the help of Chairman Peterson and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, helped the specialty crop farm bill alliance net a huge win.