|
Click to listen to this article
|
Specialty crop leaders renewed their calls for urgent economic support for U.S. growers and shared their disappointment after the U.S. House released final spending bills yesterday that did not include aid for America’s specialty crop producers.
“At a time when producers face rising costs, domestic labor shortages, and severe market and weather challenges, this omission is deeply concerning,” said the co-chairs of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA).
“Specialty crops are vital to healthy diets and rural economies. Yet, producers continue to lack the economic support they need to withstand ongoing disruptions and remain competitive.”
“We urge Congress to address this gap as the appropriations process moves forward, and to include not less than $5 billion in dedicated aid for the specialty crop sector. This support is critical to the continued sustainability of American agriculture and the communities specialty crop growers serve.”
Specialty crops – including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, nursery, greenhouse, and floriculture products – generate more than $75 billion annually in U.S. agricultural cash receipts, account for more than one-third of all U.S. crop sales, and support rural economies nationwide. Yet, under the current USDA Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program, $11 billion is allocated to row crops while only $1 billion is reserved for specialty crops and other commodities, with key details on eligibility, payment formulas, and timing still unresolved.