Oct 8, 2024Specialty crop alliance urges farm bill action
The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) urged farm bill action in a response to a letter from the chairs of the Congressional Specialty Crop Caucus to congressional leaders.
The SCFBA statement reiterated that the “status quo for U.S. specialty crop growers is simply not sustainable.”
The Oct. 2 letter (.pdf) reinforces the importance of specialty crop investments, the SCFBA said.
“Modest investments in specialty crops could be transformational for growers that have historically not been served by farm bills in the same way as other commodities,” the SCFBA statement read. “That’s why we echo the chairs in urging passage of a full five-year, bipartisan farm bill that can be signed into law this year – one that includes more investment, not less, in specialty crops.”
SCFBA is a national coalition of more than 200 organizations representing growers of fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, nursery plants and other products.
In 2023, the alliance released policy priorities (.pdf) as part of its farm bill recommendations.
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.
