By Clint Thompson
A lack of farm bill progression in the Senate Agriculture Committee has not derailed the optimism industry leaders feel that one will eventually get passed this year.
That’s the mindset shared by Kam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council and co-chair of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA).
“You’ve got to be optimistic that folks want to get a farm bill done. And the goal has always been to get a bill to the president’s desk this year. That doesn’t necessarily mean before the election, doesn’t necessarily mean after the election. It just means by Dec. 31,” Quarles said. “We want to get a bill there. I wouldn’t get too wrapped around the axle about, we could go through several different chapters in this play before we finally get to the finish line. I think as long as folks are letting their members of Congress know how important a farm bill is and how important the specialty crop provisions are to that farm bill. At the end of the day, we’re going to get a good result.”
The Senate Ag Committee failed to advance the farm bill in early August, as both political parties disagreed over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, an important component of the farm bill. The committee is expected to reconvene after Labor Day.
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.