In the US, the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) has sent a formal letter to Farm Bill Conference Committee leaders applauding their efforts to establish a formal conference committee on the 2013 Farm Bill.
According to the SCFBA, the letter has encouraged leaders to negotiate and finalise a conference report for the Farm Bill before the end of the year.
SCFBA commended the House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders on their work creating bills that build on the strategic funding and policy direction the Alliance has pursued since the introduction of the 2008 Farm Bill.
The alliance agreed that both of the Farm Bills that were passed over the summer would enhance the competitive position of specialty crop growers across the country.
In the letter, the alliance also highlighted critical priorities that were included in both bills and recommended they be included in the final conference report. These priorities included initiatives and programmes related to market access and expansion, production research, combating invasive pests and diseases, promotional tools and infrastructure investment, and increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables, and tree nuts.
