WASHINGTON, DC - Continuing to advocate for our industry, an endorsement by the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) was recently announced for two pieces of legislation to be considered in the 2023 Farm Bill discussions.
“The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance appreciates the work by members of the United States House of Representatives for supporting and prioritizing specialty crops as discussions continue surrounding the 2023 Farm Bill,” the SCFBA Co-Chairs said in a joint statement. “Both of these bills align with the Alliance’s recommendations released earlier this year and support a stronger future for the industry, helping to ensure its competitiveness in the domestic and global marketplace.”
The national coalition of more than 200 specialty crop organizations representing growers of fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, nursery plants, and other products was established to advocate for broad-based Farm Bill policy initiatives to address the unique needs of a diverse sector of the agricultural economy, known as specialty crops. As noted in the release, SCFBA also aims to aid overall competitiveness in the face of increasing imports and rising global pressures on American exports.
SCFBA announced it is endorsing the following legislation:
- Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act
- Specialty Crop Mechanization and Automation Research and Development Program
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, continued the release.
This alliance is led by Co-Chairs Mike Joyner, President of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association; Dave Puglia, President and Chief Executive Officer of Western Growers; and Kam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council. In addition, Robert Guenther, Chief Public Policy Officer for International Fresh Produce Association, serves as the secretariat for the Alliance.
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