Produce industry to speak in one voice in farm bill debate
Produce industry to speak in one voice in farm bill debate
WASHINGTON Pressing trade issues and budget cuts will influence the 2007 farm bill, but that is not enough to dissuade fruit and vegetable businesses that are looking for a bigger slice of the pie this time around.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been holding listening sessions around the United States to hear what commodity groups want in the next farm bill. At the same time, the fruit and vegetable industry has formed work groups to develop policy recommendations on everything from increasing produce in nutrition programs to bolstering research, conservation and block grants. More than a dozen groups representing various segments of the produce industry are crafting a comprehensive wish list perhaps housed in a separate title in the farm bill to circulate on Capitol Hill in the fall.
"We're gearing up to set priorities and see how we might get attention for our share," said Kathy Means of the Produce Marketing Association. The industry is not looking for traditional subsidies, she said. Rather, the industry is exploring creative ways through marketing programs to increase consumption and help businesses stay competitive.
The fruit and vegetable industry is poised to take on the big guns as it successfully convinced Congress to approve the Specialty Crop Competitiveness Act. The program is valuable in itself, said Ms. Means, but it also sets the produce industry up as a player in the agriculture policy debate.
For the Produce for Better Health Foundation, the farm bill represents an opportunity to band together and push for increased funding for marketing and communication, as well as the fruit and vegetable school snack program. Once the policy recommendations are approved by the industrys steering committee, then industry can speak with one voice as leaders walk the halls of Congress later this year.
One idea is to develop a domestic marketing program that would mirror USDAs Market Access Program, said Elizabeth Pivonka, president and CEO of PBH. MAP helps trade organizations promote U.S. agricultural products overseas by tapping funds from USDAs Commodity Credit Corp. to partially reimburse participants for foreign market promotion activities.
The time may be right to challenge the farm bills favorite son, namely subsidized crops. The latest decision by nutrition experts to increase daily consumption of fruits and vegetables to stave off chronic diseases and prevent obesity has gained the attention of important congressional leaders.
This is our chance for fruits and vegetables like never before, said Ms. Pivonka. With the final farm bill slated for 2007, the industry will need to hit it hard in 2006, she said.
But various trade wars will take a toll in the upcoming farm bill debate. The divisive battle over the Central America Free Trade Agreement will take time to heal, and the Bush administrations move to comply with a World Trade Organization decision in favor of Brazils cotton industry may have repercussions for U.S. fruit and vegetable growers.
It will be a difficult road, said Robert Guenther of the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association. But it is time for Congress and the administration when considering agriculture policy to think of the fruit and vegetable industry.
Just this month, an article in the Los Angeles Times followed the money in terms of government subsidies for crops and found a disconnect between federal handouts for farmers and the governments own dietary advice for Americans. Subsidies encourage an abundant supply of corn, wheat, rice and soybeans, while the government is telling Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables. Producers of specialty crops are not eligible for these subsidies.
If the government believes in increasing consumption for produce, the industry says the money should follow.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been holding listening sessions around the United States to hear what commodity groups want in the next farm bill. At the same time, the fruit and vegetable industry has formed work groups to develop policy recommendations on everything from increasing produce in nutrition programs to bolstering research, conservation and block grants. More than a dozen groups representing various segments of the produce industry are crafting a comprehensive wish list perhaps housed in a separate title in the farm bill to circulate on Capitol Hill in the fall.
"We're gearing up to set priorities and see how we might get attention for our share," said Kathy Means of the Produce Marketing Association. The industry is not looking for traditional subsidies, she said. Rather, the industry is exploring creative ways through marketing programs to increase consumption and help businesses stay competitive.
The fruit and vegetable industry is poised to take on the big guns as it successfully convinced Congress to approve the Specialty Crop Competitiveness Act. The program is valuable in itself, said Ms. Means, but it also sets the produce industry up as a player in the agriculture policy debate.
For the Produce for Better Health Foundation, the farm bill represents an opportunity to band together and push for increased funding for marketing and communication, as well as the fruit and vegetable school snack program. Once the policy recommendations are approved by the industrys steering committee, then industry can speak with one voice as leaders walk the halls of Congress later this year.
One idea is to develop a domestic marketing program that would mirror USDAs Market Access Program, said Elizabeth Pivonka, president and CEO of PBH. MAP helps trade organizations promote U.S. agricultural products overseas by tapping funds from USDAs Commodity Credit Corp. to partially reimburse participants for foreign market promotion activities.
The time may be right to challenge the farm bills favorite son, namely subsidized crops. The latest decision by nutrition experts to increase daily consumption of fruits and vegetables to stave off chronic diseases and prevent obesity has gained the attention of important congressional leaders.
This is our chance for fruits and vegetables like never before, said Ms. Pivonka. With the final farm bill slated for 2007, the industry will need to hit it hard in 2006, she said.
But various trade wars will take a toll in the upcoming farm bill debate. The divisive battle over the Central America Free Trade Agreement will take time to heal, and the Bush administrations move to comply with a World Trade Organization decision in favor of Brazils cotton industry may have repercussions for U.S. fruit and vegetable growers.
It will be a difficult road, said Robert Guenther of the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association. But it is time for Congress and the administration when considering agriculture policy to think of the fruit and vegetable industry.
Just this month, an article in the Los Angeles Times followed the money in terms of government subsidies for crops and found a disconnect between federal handouts for farmers and the governments own dietary advice for Americans. Subsidies encourage an abundant supply of corn, wheat, rice and soybeans, while the government is telling Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables. Producers of specialty crops are not eligible for these subsidies.
If the government believes in increasing consumption for produce, the industry says the money should follow.
