New Congress Convenes & No Specialty Crop Support

New Congress Convenes & No Specialty Crop Support

New Congress Convenes & No Specialty Crop Support plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

It was a day of swearing in the new Congress yesterday on Capitol Hill. There are 12 new senators, eight Democrats, three Republicans and one independent; and 82  freshmen in the House, 47 Democrats and 35 Republicans. There will be a lot of work to catch up on. The last Congress was not a very popular one and there has been considerable grumbling from voters. Will this one be any different? Washington Congressman Doc Hastings.

HASTINGS: I sense that frustration and in fact I hear that when I talk to constituents and people that call me and they tend to paint, rightfully so, a broad brush of Congress including both the House and the Senate. Now I’m a little sensitive to that being a member of the House. For the last two year we have passed a budget. The Senate hasn’t passed a budget now going on four years.

The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance was disappointed to see key specialty crop provisions excluded from the fiscal package approved by Congress Tuesday. The group says the extension doesn’t include funding for certain expiring programs such as the Specialty Crop Research Initiative and Clean Plant Network. Alliance Co-Chair Mike Stuart says the group had worked very hard with key members of the House and Senate to craft a fiscally responsible farm bill that provided producers with the resources they need to remain competitive and to ensure a safe, healthful supply of fruits and vegetables.

Now, greenhouse gas emissions voluntarily reduced. Susan Carter has more.

(USDA Report)

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

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