Pelosi : Before I leave that point

TK: Here is a link to the Congressional Record report of Friday's farm bill debate: Below is an excerpt from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of California and her strong and very detailed support of the f/v provisions. It is interesting to observe her mention of food safety in relation to specialty crops seems to indicate that Democratic leaderships links Congressional action on fruit and vegetable priorities with legislative movement on food safety issues. Look for more news from DeLauro's office this coming week.


Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman, the distinguished chairman of the Agriculture Committee for yielding, and I want to congratulate him for this achievement for bringing this important bill to the floor.
As a Californian, I take special interest also that the bill makes a historic investment in specialty crops, providing $1.7 billion in new mandatory spending. This investment was made possible by the leadership of Congressman Dennis Cardoza. And many provisions in his bill, the EAT Healthy America Act, which is a very important bill for us, EAT Healthy America Act, were incorporated in this bill that is before us today. This legislation supports specialty crops, that is, fruits and vegetables, by increasing market access, encouraging and facilitating consumption of nutritious agricultural products, funding research initiatives and increasing opportunities for family farmers in conservation initiatives. Specifically, just so you know what falls under this, the bill invests $365 million for Specialty Crop Block Grants; $350 million to expand the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable School Snack Program to all 50 States, and I repeat that, $350 million to expand the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable School Snack Program to all 50 States; $215 million to create a new dedicated research initiative for specialty crops; $200 million to create a new initiative for early detection, prevention, and eradication of emerging pests and disease; $55 million for organic agriculture. What is important about all of this is many of these resources will be invested in the Northeast, in the Middle Atlantic States, in the Northwest and California, where agriculture is a very important part of the economy but where not very much attention had been paid in the past in the farm bills. This is a big change and signals a new direction in this farm bill. Specialty crop producers, our fruit and vegetable growers, account for nearly half of all cash crop receipts in America and are a part of the farm economy in all 50 States, as I mentioned, especially important, California, the Northeast, Northwest, and Florida. I mentioned that I was a Californian. I was also born in Maryland; so I know the importance of the Chesapeake Bay, and I salute the chairman for the initiative in here in support of the Chesapeake Bay. I see my colleague Majority Leader Hoyer nodding his head in agreement. But I want to acknowledge Chairman Chris Van Hollen, for whom this has been a priority since he came[[Page H8765]]to Congress, and now he has been joined by John Sarbanes in support of this. And I know it has bipartisan support because Congressman Gilchrest supports these initiatives as well. From Monterey Bay across the country to the Chesapeake Bay, this bill represents a new direction. Let me just say that is why this bill is supported by the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, a national coalition of more than 120 specialty crop organizations. Before I leave that point, I want to talk about food safety. One of the reasons that many of us are in politics, and I know many moms come to politics, is for our having a safer, clean environment for our children. Clean air, clean water, food safety, these are things we can't do for them, but we depend on public policy to do; and the initiatives in this legislation for food safety are important. They will be greatly enhanced by the legislation put forth next week by the Appropriations subcommittee Chair, Congresswoman DeLauro, in her appropriations bill.