One Big Farm Bill Victory

AM I imagining things, or did the fruit industry actually gain a legislative victory on Capitol Hill? Maybe I’m just too pessimistic at times, but after months of what has seemed like a never-ending struggle to pass sensible labor reform, I was waiting for more lack of action on the Farm Bill.

As it turns out, it almost came to that. A vote on the Farm Bill had already been delayed beyond its originally scheduled time frame, and as the days went by, and the 2008 election draws closer, it looked like there might be yet another extension of the most current farm policy.

However, in the middle of last month, an agreement was reached in a House-Senate conference committee. The end result was a vote of approval by both the House (by a vote of 318 to 106) and the Senate (81 to 15). At this point, it appears these vote totals are sufficient to override what seems to be an assured veto by President Bush (more on this later).

A List Of Benefits

This Farm Bill is a major victory for the specialty crop industry. According to the Produce Marketing Association, a total of $2.31 billion was provided for specialty crop producers, covering the following areas:

• Expansion of the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program to schools in all 50 states, along with the Department of Defense’s produce purchasing program.

• An allocation of $230 million for the establishment of a new Specialty Crops Research Initiative to provide science-based tools to address the production and technology needs of the industry.

• A major investment in pest and disease detection, including invasive pests.

• Enhancement of the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops program and the Market Access Program.

• Expansion of specialty crop block grants to focus on the needs of local producers, covering everything from food safety to new market opportunities.

• More than $100 million for research and data for organic programs.

• Mandatory funding for the Tree Assistance Program, and the creation of new permanent disaster programs.

Make It Count

It will take a while for the fruit industry to begin realizing the full benefits of what was included in the Farm Bill, but it could mean a very promising future for some of the problems the industry has been struggling with lately. For example, you’ve read a lot in the pages of this magazine about efforts to improve orchard productivity through mechanization and robotics, as well as genetics and genomics research. The funding made available through the Farm Bill should help hasten the progress of this research. In addition, the recent outbreak of invasive pests such as the light brown apple moth in California, and plum pox virus in some Eastern states, might require additional study.

There is one important take-home message to be understood from the experience and dedication of all the groups who worked hard to get the Farm Bill passed (most notably, the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, which includes the U.S. Apple Association, the United Fresh Produce Association, and many others). Quite frankly, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the produce industry. After years of being an afterthought in Farm Bill discussions, its voice was finally heard. Now it’s time to make it count. Use this funding in the most efficient way possible, so that when the next Farm Bill comes around, you’ll be able to point that out.

Finally, I mentioned earlier that the Farm Bill passed by enough votes to likely override a veto. If, between presstime and when you receive this month’s issue, things turn out differently, I guess we’ll just chalk it up to a ridiculous twist of fate.