 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) issued the following statement last week reacting to the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry’s release of legislative text for the budget reconciliation package.
“We are grateful to Chairman (John) Boozman and his staff for advancing these vital investments in specialty crops that the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance has been proposing since 2023.
“Our message today is simple: any Congressional investment in American agriculture must include specialty crops. America’s specialty crop growers confront a host of unprecedented challenges. Rising input costs, limited access to labor, unfair trade practices, disruptions to foreign markets, and natural disasters ranging from flood to drought; all impede the competitiveness of these family farms. Nothing short of the survival of our domestic industry is at stake.
“These investments, already passed by the House of Representatives, are a key piece of the puzzle to help America’s specialty crop growers succeed. There is still work to be done though. Senate rules prohibit the inclusion of some innovative policy initiatives we proposed, such as investments in mechanization and automation, and reforms to crop insurance to provide many of our growers with an affordable and effective safety net for the first time.
“We commend the Senate Agriculture Committee for recognizing that our growers domestically produce the safe, nutritious foods that more Americans should be consuming, as well as cultivate the trees, flowers and plants that play a vital role in the nation’s health and wellbeing. We stand ready to work with Congress to enact a comprehensive, bipartisan farm bill that invests in America’s specialty crop growers.”
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.