Hope for Farm Bill

Hope for Farm Bill. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

Now that both the Democrats and Republicans have had their conventions it’s time for Congress to get back to work and Bruce Grimm, Executive Director of the Washington State Horticultural Association hopes that that will include a farm bill.

GRIMM: Well our hope and our expectation is that they’ll - as they say - “Get ‘er done.” We don’t want to see a continuation extension of the existing bill. We think there’s significant agreement in the House and Senate versions and it’s just a matter of the two sides getting this thing moving and through the House so we can get to conference and get whatever wrinkles that exist in it taken out.

Apples are listed as a specialty crop under the Farm Bill.

GRIMM: There is great similarity in the House and Senate versions of the Farm Bill as they would impact us and they impact us favorably. Maintaining the $200-million dollar level annually for MAP (Market Access Program) funding is huge. Continuing support for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative program. Continuing support for the Specialty Crop Block Grant program, so research is dealt nicely with there.

Grimm says there are some very positive things in both versions.

GRIMM: We just want Congress to get this thing wrapped up and signed, sealed and done before the close of this Congress. It may not happen when they get back from their summer recess given all the politics that will be in play there but certainly no reason it couldn’t be finished up in the lame duck session if not before.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.