Congress completes farm bill with significant benefits for specialty crops.After more than two years of hearings, days of mark-ups, hours of debate and two Presidential vetoes, the farm bill became law in June. Titled the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, Congress approved the legislation overriding the President's veto by a wide margin. The groundwork was laid more than three years ago when the produce industry came together to develop a farm policy that recognizes the significance of the fruit and vegetable industry and advances key policy initiatives to enhance the competitiveness of U.S. agriculture in the global marketplace. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The new law will significantly expand the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA USDA, n.pr See United States Department of Agriculture. ) Fruit and Vegetable School Snack Program, expand state block grants to increase industry competitiveness, purchase more fruits and vegetables for school lunch, continue the Department of Defense (DOD (1) (Dial On Demand) A feature that allows a device to automatically dial a telephone number. For example, an ISDN router with dial on demand will automatically dial up the ISP when it senses IP traffic destined for the Internet. ) Fresh Program for schools, provide technical assistance to address international market access issues, invest in specialty crop research including produce food safety, enhance programs to prevent invasive plant pests and disease, and target funding to address conservation priorities. Most important, this farm bill will help all sectors of the produce industry deliver the highest quality, safest and most affordable fresh produce to consumers in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. and around the world. Every dollar spent to increase the competitiveness of U.S. fruit and vegetable producers serves all Americans who need these products for their health and which will come back many times over in better health for children and reduced long-term health care costs for the next generation. Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance AMI has been part of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA SCFBA Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (Washington, DC) ), which spearheaded the effort to make federal farm policy more equitable for the nation's specialty crop producers. As a result, the Farm Bill Conference report dedicates approximately $3 billion to important nutrition, research, pest and disease, trade, conservation and local competitiveness priorities. Our special thanks go to Robert Guenther, Autumn Veasey, Lorelei DiSogra and Andrew Marshall Andrew Marshall can refer to:
Funding & Policy Highlights The following list includes items in the new law that specifically impact the produce industry. * $1.02 billion - Expands the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Snack Program to all 50 states. The nationwide expansion of the Snack Program will develop lifelong healthy eating habits for millions of children by providing fresh fruits and vegetables in our nation's schools. * $466 million - Enhances funding for "Specialty Crop Block Grants" that focus on local efforts to enhance producers' ability to compete in the marketplace and provide consumers with safe, abundant food. * $377 million - Creates a new Pest and Disease Program focused on combating invasive pests and disease, which cost the economy billions of dollars a year. This program will be a joint collaborative effort between the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) and state departments of agriculture. * $250 million - Provides the DOD Fresh Program which partners with USDA in a unique program to purchase and deliver fresh fruits and vegetable to schools and in schools. * $230 million - Establishes the Specialty Crop Research Initiative to develop and disseminate dis·sem·i·nate v. dis·sem·i·nat·ed, dis·sem·i·nat·ing, dis·sem·i·nates v.tr. 1. To scatter widely, as in sowing seed. 2. science-based tools to address the needs of specific crops and their regions. The research focus is on important priorities such as food safety, mechanization mechanization Use of machines, either wholly or in part, to replace human or animal labour. Unlike automation, which may not depend at all on a human operator, mechanization requires human participation to provide information or instruction. , genetics, plant breeding plant breeding, science of altering the genetic pattern of plants in order to increase their value. Increased crop yield is the primary aim of most plant-breeding programs; advantages of the hybrids and new varieties developed include adaptation to new agricultural and pests and diseases. * $59 million - Enhances critical trade assistance and market promotion tools that will grow international markets for specialty crops. Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC TASC The After School Corporation TASC The American Surrogacy Center TASC Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities TASC The Analytic Sciences Corporation TASC Transportation Administrative Service Center TASC Total Administrative Services Corporation ) has proven to be a successful tool with identifying and removing trade barriers for specialty crop producers. * Successfully adds "processing (packing), storing and transportation" to the approved list Approved list A list of equities and other investments that a financial institution or mutual fund is allowed to invest in. See: Legal list. approved list See legal list. of on-farm income related to the AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) A machine intelligence that resembles that of a human being. Considered impossible by many, most artificial intelligence (AI) research, projects and products deal with specific applications such as industrial robots, playing chess, (adjusted gross income) conservation programs. Many specialty crop producers also "process (including packing), store and transport" crops and were prevented from participating in conservation programs because their AGI exceeded the limits. * Prioritizes federal research activities for specialty crops. USDA will collaborate with specialty crop producers and organizations to develop and implement applied research and extension initiatives funded and sponsored by the agency. * Expands purchases of fruits and vegetables under Section 32 program. Increases the minimum threshold (currently at $200 million per year) of Section 32 funds dedicated to fruit, vegetable and nut purchases and expands the Secretary's purchase discretion to include value-added fruit, vegetable and nut products. * Requires the Secretary to conduct a census of specialty crops to assist in the development and dissemination dissemination Medtalk The spread of a pernicious process–eg, CA, acute infection Oncology Metastasis, see there of specialty crop information. * Improves provisions for technical assistance under conservation programs. Includes provisions for specialty crop technical assistance in order to make sure specifications are complete and relevant. The provision seeks to ensure adequate technical assistance to specialty crop growers by directing the Secretary to develop programs that meet the needs of specialty crop growers using cooperative agreements with other federal agencies. * $23 million for Food Safety Research: As part of the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, 10 percent of the annual funding would go directly to fresh produce food safety to address production and processing practices. * Country of Origin Labeling Reforms: The Bill amends Bill Amend IPA: /ˈbɪl ˈeɪmənd/ (born September 20, 1962 in Northampton, Massachusetts) is an American cartoonist, best known for his comic strip FoxTrot. Born as William J. C. the Country of Origin Labeling law of 2002 by reducing penalties for mistakes in labeling at point of purchase, including a "good faith" standard that reduces the liability for retailers, unless shown to be disregarding or willfully willfully adv. referring to doing something intentionally, purposefully and stubbornly. Examples: "He drove the car willfully into the crowd on the sidewalk." "She willfully left the dangerous substances on the property." (See: willful) violating the law. It includes self-attestation of origin so that retailers can rely upon what suppliers tell them. Normal records kept in the regular course of doing business are sufficient to comply with the statute. It also includes a specific provision to allow labeling of a U.S. state A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States, although four states use the official title "commonwealth". The separate state governments and the federal government share sovereignty, in that an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and , region or locality in which a product is produced to meet label standards as a product of the United States. * $20 million for Pilot Food Stamp food stamp n. A stamp or coupon, issued by the government to persons with low incomes, that can be redeemed for food at stores. Noun 1. Pilot Project: This pilot project will be used to test how incentives at the point of purchase encourage individuals who participate in the Food Stamp Program The US Food Stamp Program is a federal assistance program that provides food to low income people living in the United States. Benefits are distributed by the individual states, but the program is administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. to purchase fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods. Changes to the Fresh Mushroom Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 includes several specific mushroom-related provisions: Section 10104 amends AMENDS. A satisfaction, given by a wrong doer to the party injured for a wrong committed. 1 Lilly's Reg. 81. 2. By statute 24 Geo. II. c. 44, in England, and by similar statutes in some of the United States, justices of the peace, upon being notified of an the Mushroom Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act with changes to the composition of the Mushroom Council to better reflect current production areas: * Changes number of regions from 4 to 3. * Changes minimum number of pounds for each region from 35 million to 50 million * Instead of one additional member for each additional 50 million pounds, changes to the following: ** one additional member for regions with 110 million pounds but less than 180 million pounds ** two additional members for regions with more than 180 million pounds but less than 260 million pounds ** three additional members for regions with more than 260 million pounds By reducing the number of regions and changing the poundage POUNDAGE, practice. The amount allowed to the sheriff, or other officer, for commissions on, the money made by virtue of an execution. This allowance varies in different states, and to different officers. requirements for regions, these amendments will lead to more equitable producer and importer representation on the Council by more effectively and accurately reflecting mushroom production. In addition, the following language was added to the powers and duties section of the Act: * (6) to develop and propose to the Secretary programs for good agricultural and good handling practices and related activities for mushrooms. This language will allow the Mushroom Council to be involved in the development and implementation (including education and training) of food safety programs for the mushroom industry and would allow for a GAP and GHP GHP Georgia Health Partnership GHP Geisinger Health Plan (Danville, PA) GHP Governor's Honors Program GHP Good Handling Practices (food safety) GHP Grand High Priest certification and verification program, if the Council deemed it appropriate. Laura Phelps AMI President AMI Update is a regular column that covers topics relevent to members. |
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