Washington, D.C. – The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) has issued the following statement following the release of the U.S. House Farm Bill draft:
“The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance appreciates the work of House Agriculture Committee Chairman Thompson and others for moving the Farm Bill process forward and for recognizing the importance of specialty crops with several key investments, including for research, innovation, crop insurance and trade. Investments like these are vital to maintaining and enhancing the competitiveness of our growers across the U.S. and to support a healthier America. It is critical they appear in the final conference report.”
The SCFBA further stated, “We continue to assess the impact on specialty crops that may result from changes to the Commodity Credit Corporation and the Thrifty Food Program. We know the only path forward for a Farm Bill this Congress is a bipartisan one and are hopeful that lead negotiators in the House and Senate will come together to resolve any disagreements in time for a five-year Farm Bill to be signed into law by the President this year.”
SCFBA is a national coalition of more than 200 specialty crop organizations representing growers of fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, nursery plants and other products. In early 2023, the alliance released a set of key policy priorities as part of its Farm Bill recommendations. Specialty crop production, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, nursery and greenhouse commodities, contributes significantly to the U.S economy, accounting for $64.7 billion in farm gate value and 30 percent of farm cash receipts for crops.
For more information, visit farmbillalliance.com.