Dec 12, 2018

Farm Bill on track for approval full of specialty crops’ support

Specialty crop producers are well-thought of in the farm bill headed toward imminent approval by Congress.

The Bill passed the U.S. Senate 87-13 on Tuesday, and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, said in a Wednesday morning conference call with media that she expected the House of Representatives to approve the farm bill later in the day. She also said that President Donald Trump has been speaking positively about the bill.

The farm bill technically expired in September, and Congressional leaders have been occupied negotiating over proposed reforms of the federal food stamps program, which has little to do with most of the provisions that specialty crop growers have sought.

“This was a very hard-fought bipartisan victory,” Stabenow said.

The ranking member highlighted Michigan’s status as a diverse agricultural producer.

“We grow some of everything,” she said. “We are the most diverse state in terms of what we grow, other than California.”

She added that the forthcoming farm bill – the second of her career – expands support for that diversity of agriculture.

The Farm Bill makes permanent funding for trade promotion, she said, and also expands the crop insurance available for growers.

“We expand crop insurance, which is the basis of the risk management tools for farmers, knowing that if there is a price drop loss they will have insurance there for them,” she said. “Over the years we have strengthened that, or made that available for fruit and vegetable growers.”

Stabenow was joined on the media call by Carl Bednarski, president of the Michigan Farm Bureau, Jim Byrum, president of the Michigan Agri-Business Association and Rich Bowman, director of government relations for the Nature Conservancy.

Bednarski said passage of the farm bill would provide stability to growers, some of whom are facing very difficult times.

“This farm bill couldn’t come at a more appropriate time,” he said. “The risk management tools are so important for farmers.”

– FGN Associate Editor Stephen Kloosterman

Check back soon for more information on this developing story. 

Top photo: Senators Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan. and Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, conduct a Farm Bill field hearing in May in Frankenmuth, Michigan. Roberts is chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Foresty, while Stabenow is the committee’s ranking member. Photo courtesy of Debbie Stabenow’s office.