Washington, D.C. – Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) released a statement after including a number of wins for agriculture across Central Washington in H.R. 8239, the FY 2023 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.
“As a third-generation farmer, I understand the importance of agriculture for families, jobs, and trade in Central Washington, and am pleased that I was able to include so many provisions in this year’s Agriculture Appropriations Bill to help this sector of our economy overcome the many challenges it’s facing,” said Rep. Newhouse. “Our work is far from over, however. While the bill contains many helpful provisions for Central Washington, the legislation falls short in holding the FDA accountable for the infant formula shortage or addressing inflation, which has led to higher prices on the farm and at the kitchen table. As this bill makes its way through the House and to the Senate, I am committed to continuing to advocate for policies that promote agricultural abundance and the economic opportunity it brings to Central Washington families.”
Specifically, Rep. Newhouse championed the following provisions in the bill:
- An amendment which prohibits the purchase of agricultural land by the People’s Republic of China, Russia, North Korea, or Iran. The amendment was accepted by voice vote.
- Grant County Conservation District Moses Lake Reduction of Harmful Algal Bloom Project—The Committee provides $3,147,900 to implement in-lake management leading to water quality improvements and the reduction of harmful algal blooms in Moses Lake. These blooms further degrade water quality, produce toxins that are a health risk to humans, wildlife, and plant communities, and have negative impacts on recreation, property values, and the local economy.
- Herbicide Resistance Research—The Committee provides an increase of $500,000 to identify and overcome herbicide resistant associated weed risks to the crop production pathway.
- Hops Research—The Committee recognizes that the U.S. hops industry has experienced unprecedented expansion due to the brewing industry’s economic growth over the past decade. To sustain this growth, new varieties of hops are needed to prevent disease and expand production throughout the country. The Committee directs ARS to continue to focus on these efforts to advance new disease-resistant public hop varieties.
- Wildfire Smoke Taint Research on Winegrapes—The Committee supports research to identify the compounds responsible for smoke taint, establish a reliable database of background levels of smoke taint compounds occurring naturally in wine grapes, develop mitigation methods to reduce or eliminate smoke taint, and study compounds that can act as a barrier between the grapes and smoke compounds. In addition, the Committee supports research to establish standard methodologies for sampling and testing of smoke exposed grapes and smoke affected wines. The Committee provides an additional $500,000 above the fiscal year 2022 level in support of these research efforts.
- Minor Crop Pest Management—The IR-4 Project has been critical to securing registrations for new plant protection products for specialty crops and the primary avenue for new reduced-risk pesticides, while improving impacts on the environment, worker safety, and more sustainable production systems for holistic wellbeing. The Committee provides increased funding to continue the Project’s mission of food security research infrastructure and meeting consumer demands for high-quality food.
- Potato Research—The Committee directs ARS to continue to support pest management programs in potato growing states. The Committee recognizes that these programs help scientists track potential pest outbreaks and provide growers and industry professionals with current information on specific and timely treatments. Additionally, the programs help identify serious diseases, such as late blight disease, in their early stages, allowing for preventive measures to be put into place quickly to avoid crop losses.
- Small Fruits Research—The Committee provides an additional $500,000 above the fiscal year 2022 level to improve the ability to forecast pest and disease spread, implement precision management strategies, mitigate invasive insects, and to improve the overall quality of fruit.
- Firebreaks and Fuel Breaks—The Committee recognizes that firebreaks and fuel breaks are efficient conservation measures that can be implemented by landowners to reduce the risk or intensity of wildfires and help firefighters by creating defensible areas. The Committee encourages NRCS to promote and provide assistance to design and construct firebreaks and fuel breaks in areas and communities under heightened risk of woodland fires.