House committee approves farm bill with specialty crop focus

The U.S. House Agriculture Committee approved a five-year farm bill early March 5 after markup began March 4.

The markup of the “Food, Farm and National Security Act” had been postponed because of weather-related East Coast travel challenges.

A draft released Feb. 13 by the House ag committee contained several provisions addressing specialty crops, including a framework for delivering future assistance.

The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) issued a statement after the House ag committee approval.

“The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance commends Chairman (Glenn) Thompson for his leadership, and we are grateful to the House Agriculture Committee for advancing the farm bill process. H.R. 7567 includes key bipartisan provisions that would enhance the competitiveness of the family farms that produce specialty crops in the U.S,” the statement read. “At a time when our producers confront unprecedented economic challenges, enacting a full five-year farm bill is critical to the continued sustainability of American agriculture and the communities specialty crop producers serve.”

The SCFBA is co-chaired by Cathy Burns, CEO of the International Fresh Produce Association; Mike Joyner, president of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association; Dave Puglia, president and CEO of Western Growers; and Kam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council.

The one-week markup delay allowed potato growers to communicate directly with elected officials during the National Potato Council’s Washington Summit, held Feb. 23-26.

“Our growers and allied industry partners advocated for critical farm bill priorities, including modernizing crop insurance to provide a meaningful safety net for specialty crops and enhancing the Specialty Crop Research Initiative to tackle challenges like soil health and pest control,” Dean Gibson, NPC vice president of legislative affairs and potato grower from Idaho, said in a statement.

Senate Agriculture Committee chair John Boozman indicated in late February that his committee will take up its version of the farm mill in the coming months.

The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) applauded the specialty crop provisions in the bill.

“In partnership with the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, we have long advocated for a dedicated emergency structure tailored to the distinct production risks and market realities facing fruit, vegetable, tree nut, horticulture and nursery growers,” IFPA said in a statement. “The proposed first-ever Specialty Crop Emergency Assistance Framework would establish clear parameters for delivering timely and targeted economic assistance while ensuring specialty crops are no longer reliant on programs designed primarily for other crops.

“Growers are facing unprecedented, ongoing economic pressure, including persistent labor shortages, rising input costs, and supply chain volatility. This framework would provide much-needed predictability and a dependable pathway for assistance when it is most needed.”

Bill aims to boost specialty crops

A bipartisan bill introduced last week aims to help growers overcome trade barriers and boost exports of fruits, vegetables and other specialty crops.

The Specialty Crops Reporting on Opportunities and Promotion Act (Specialty CROP Act) targets key improvements to the annual U.S. Specialty Crops Trade Issues Report, including:

• Explicitly requiring participation and engagement from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR)
• Highlighting specific trade barriers that limit the export competitiveness of specialty crops in specific markets, including tariff and non-tariff barriers
• Including specific information with respect to actions taken, or expected to be taken, by the U.S. government to address or resolve each trade barrier
• Requiring the report to be made public, while allowing for a classified annex in order to protect U.S. national security and economic strategy
• Continuing to define “specialty crop” as “fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.”

The bill was introduced by Senate Finance Committee chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Oregon).

“The National Potato Council thanks Senators Crapo and Wyden for their leadership in advancing the Specialty Crops Reporting on Opportunities and Promotion Act,” NPC CEO Kam Quarles said.

“The U.S. potato industry is heavily dependent on competitive export markets. Minimizing or eliminating both tariff and non-tariff barriers is essential to the continued economic health of our industry. We sincerely appreciate the foresight of Senators Crapo and Wyden in moving this legislation forward.”