Fresh Produce Discussion Blog

Created by The Packer's National Editor Tom Karst

Friday, July 20, 2007

Alliance: strong support for farm bill

From the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance:



SPECIALTY CROP FARM BILL ALLIANCE SECURES $1.7 BILLION IN HOUSE FARM BILL
‘Great Achievement for Specialty Crop Producers’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA), a national coalition of more than 120 specialty crop organizations, announced that specialty crop producers are set to receive $1.7 billion over five years, due to the passage of the Farm Bill out of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee. This is a great achievement for specialty crop producers. The first draft of the Farm Bill offered much less, $685 million over five years for specialty crop producers. This $1 billion increase in funding is a clear sign that House leaders have recognized the crucial role specialty crop producers play in the agricultural economy.
Over the last two years, this coalition has outlined the legislative priorities and needs for specialty crops that have been supported by more than 119 Members of Congress. The coalition credits the bipartisan support of their priorities coupled with the strong leadership of Congressman Dennis Cardoza, Chairman Collin Peterson and House leadership, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the positive consideration received by the House Agriculture Committee. The SCFBA will support passage of the bill (H.R. 2419) when it comes to a vote on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives later this month.
A spokesman issued the following statement on behalf of the SCFBA:
"Specialty crop producers account for nearly half of all cash crop receipts in America. Throughout this debate, we have supported improving the competitive environment for all producers with a focus on producing a safer, healthier and more nutritious food supply. The passage of this Farm Bill in the House Agriculture Committee represents a great start and a strong investment by recognizing the priorities of specialty crop producers. We appreciate the leadership of Congressman Dennis Cardoza, Chairman Collin Peterson and Speaker Nancy Pelosi and their advocacy for our priorities. We look forward to enhancing the investment for specialty crop producers in the U.S. Senate."

The SCFBA is a geographically and commodity diverse group of more than 120 organizations. Specialty crop producers all across the nation will be able to provide consumers with a steady supply of domestically produced specialty crops through the programs established in H.R.2419 to expand the consumption of fruits and vegetables, expand specialty crop research, control of plant pests and support for grower initiatives to improve competitiveness.

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Service mark


Here is a link to a report in The Salinas Californian about the start of mandatory food safety audits for leafy greens. From the story:


Along with setting July 23 as the start date for mandatory compliance audits, the board has opened up the sign-up period for membership in the marketing agreement for the rest of the year. "We continue to hear from industry members who want to join the marketing agreement," said Scott Horsfall, chief executive officer for the program. "As this is a new organization, and in the interest of food safety, we decided to open up membership for the rest of this fiscal year."


TK: I wonder how many more potential members there are....One thing members won't do, apparently, is use the service mark, or leafy greens logo, on consumer packaging. The mark will be used on bills of lading and indicates a handler's commitment to set a Good Agricultural Practices by LGMA. It is probably best to reserve the seal for trade communications, given the lack of a national leafy greens agreement.




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Water solutions sought

One story that probably deserves more coverage is the topic of water and its role in Western agriculture. A member of our Fresh Produce Industry Discussion provides this link that revisits that issue and highlights concerns of Western Growers:
From Western Farm Press:

Western Growers officials on July 17 warned of a pending crisis in California agriculture because of a lack of action to bring about new water storage and conveyance projects to meet the rapidly growing needs of the state’s burgeoning population and major industries.
The call for action coincides with a major push by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to call attention to the need for new state water policies during a weeklong series of appearances throughout California.
“The water infrastructure of California is failing and is inadequate to meet the needs of the state’s growing population,” said Stephen Patricio, president of Westside Produce in Firebaugh, Calif., and Western Growers’ board chair.
“The Governor is promoting the most aggressive water infrastructure improvement and development project California has seen in decades. The agricultural industry supports his effort to meet the water demands for farms and all Californians and Western Growers has endorsed his strategic growth plan.”

Western Growers applauds the Schwarzenegger administration for taking a leadership role on this issue and agrees that additional surface water storage and conveyance must be part of a comprehensive solution.

TK: The governator for president, please.

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USDA, FDA approps passed

Action on agriculture and food safety funding bills for fiscal 2008 came from both the House and Senate today. From Reuters.

The U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Committees each passed fiscal 2008 agriculture funding bills that increase spending for food safety and set a timeline to put country-of-origin labels on red meats beginning in fall 2008.
The House and Senate appropriations committees both established benchmarks to help the U.S. Agriculture Department implement country-of-origin labeling by Sept. 30, 2008, when it is required by law to be in place.
The Senate committee approved an amendment by Sen. Byron Dorgan to include the benchmark in its spending bill. The timeline was part of the House bill from the start. Congress enacted the meat-labeling requirement as part of a 2002 law but has twice delayed the start date.

Later...


The Senate legislation also provides an increase of $48.4 million in food safety spending for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The funds must be used to hire field inspectors, create rapid response teams located throughout the country that would respond to outbreaks of foodborne illness and to conduct food safety research.
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) would receive almost $20 million for an ongoing animal ID program and $13.8 million for low-pathogenic avian influenza activities, and $47.5 million for highly pathogenic avian influenza.
The House committee also approved $930.1 million for USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service to fill vacant positions for federal meat inspectors. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission will get $102.5 million to hire additional staff.
Food aid programs also will be increased with WIC, the Women, Infants and Children food program funded $5.6 billion; and food Stamps, the premiere U.S. antihunger program, $39.8 billion.

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Farm bill passes out of committee!

Congratulations to all House Agriculture Committee members and the industry players that worked so hard and long on f/v issues. The work isn't done, but United's Washington Public Policy Conference in September could be a well deserved celebration if this farm bill holds up. Note that an amendment was passed on COOL, but that it only deal with meat, not f/v.

From the House Ag Committee tonight:

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House Agriculture Committee today passed a new Farm Bill that makes historic investments in conservation, nutrition and renewable energy while maintaining a strong safety net for America's farmers and ranchers. Additionally, for the first time, the 2007 Farm Bill provides substantial funding for the fruit and vegetable industry.

"This Farm Bill provides strong programs that will help American agriculture meet the 21st Century needs of the United States and the world with a safe, stable food supply, nutrition assistance, environmental benefits, and renewable energy products," Chairman Peterson said.

"We have incorporated some new ideas and important reforms in this Farm Bill, focusing farm program benefits so they get to real farmers and boosting investment in programs that help those who haven't received benefits through the Farm Bill before."

"It is a tradition for this Committee to produce a bipartisan farm bill and I am pleased that today we upheld a tradition that enables us to truly serve the best interests of American agriculture and all who enjoy the benefits of a safe, reliable and affordable food and fiber supply. I look forward to continuing to work with the Chairman in a bipartisan fashion as we move ahead with this farm bill," said Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte.

Important highlights of the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419) include:
. Investing more than $1.6 billion in priorities to strengthen and support the fruit and vegetable industry in the United States. A new section for Horticulture and Organic Agriculture includes nutrition, research, pest management and trade promotion programs.
. Providing farmers participating in commodity programs with a choice between traditional price protection and new market-oriented revenue coverage payments.
. Strengthening payment limits to ensure that people making more than $1 million a year (adjusted gross income) can't collect conservation and farm program payments and closing loopholes that allow people to avoid payment limits by receiving money through multiple business units.
. Rebalancing loan rates and target prices among commodities, achieving greater regional equity.
. Cutting federal payment rates to crop insurance companies that are making record profits due to higher crop prices.
. Extending and makes significant new investments in popular conservation programs, including the Conservation Reserve Program,
Wetlands Reserve Program, Environmental Quality Incentive Program, Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, and many others.
. Expanding the USDA Snack Program, which helps schools provide healthy snacks to students during after-school activities to all 50 states and continuing the DOD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, which provides a variety of fresh produce to schools.
. Strengthening and enhancing the food stamp program by reforming benefit rules to improve coverage of food costs and expand access to the program with additional funding support.
. Including key provisions that invest in rural communities nationwide, including economic development programs and access to broadband telecommunication services.
. Establishing a new National Agriculture Research Program Office to coordinate the programs and activities of USDA's research agencies to minimize duplication and maximize coordination at all levels and creates a competitive grants program.
. Protecting and sustaining our nation's forest resources.
. Making important new investments in renewable energy research, development and production in rural America.

The Committee also approved language that will finally allow full implementation of Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling for meat in the Farm Bill. This language is a victory for consumers who overwhelmingly support the program. It includes three categories of labeling, one that indicates product was born, raised and slaughtered in the United States; one that indicates that product was not exclusively born, raised and slaughtered in the U.S.; and one that includes products entirely from other countries. For ground meat, products can be labeled with a list of countries where product may have originated.

During the Committee's business meeting held July 17-19, the Agriculture Committee considered H.R. 2419 and an "en bloc" amendment that included additional important programs that the Committee wants to include in the Farm Bill but that require additional funding.

Copies of the bill considered by the Committee and the amendments that were adopted are available on the Committee's website at: http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/2007FarmBill.html.

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the Farm Bill before the end of July.

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