Specialty Crops and the Farm Bill

Specialty Crops and the Farm Bill. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report.

Now that most of the harvest is in the barn a lot of folks are wondering when and if there will be a farm bill and what will become of specialty crop programs. The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance has written a letter to the Farm Bill Conference Committee leaders that encourages them to negotiate and finalize a conference report for the farm bill before the end of the year. The Alliance agrees that both farm bills passed over the summer will enhance the competitive position of specialty crop growers across the country. Speaking of the farm bill, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says it's got to get done.

VILSACK: It's a very critical time for the people who live, work and raise their families in rural areas. They need an adequately funded USDA because of the help and assistance we provide. THose folks need a farm bill so they have certainty about what the programs are going to be that will provide economic opportunity and help and assistance as needed. And we need a comprehensive immigration reform so we have adequate workforce to be able to harvest the crops that our producers are capable of growing.

Vilsack says the Ag Committee Chairs and Ranking Members have all worked hard to this point and he has faith they will continue to work hard and control the farm bill conference discussion and debate. He says it's time to put the rhetoric aside and focus on getting results.

VILSACK: I think that people out in the countryside want government to work. They want to work together. They want people to solve problems. They want people to provide help and assistance in a fiscally responsible way. That is all part of what could be done.

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