Senate finds fewer funds for specialty grants, snack program
Senate finds fewer funds for specialty grants, snack program
WASHINGTON -- A Senate subcommittee found fewer funds for specialty block grants and the fruit and vegetable snack program compared to the House's spending bill, but the produce industry pledged to push the funding levels back up during conference.
Western Growers Association praised Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D- CA), Larry Craig (R-ID) and other members of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee for securing $10 million in funding for Specialty Crop Block Grants in the Fiscal Year 2007 Agriculture Appropriations bill.
While an increase over the $7 million Congress provided last year, it still falls short of the $15.6 million approved by the House earlier this spring.
Nevertheless, industry trade groups were pleased to secure funding from the financially strapped Congress.
"Despite an extremely tight federal budget, the senators provided funding for Specialty Crop Block Grants because they recognize the critical importance of moving forward to implement the Specialty Crop Competitiveness Act of 2004," WGA President Tom Nassif said in a June 21 statement.
"This action by a key Senate subcommittee demonstrates that Congress is acting upon [Western Growers'] message that the federal government must increase investments of resources in initiatives designed to meet the urgent needs of U.S. specialty crop growers," Mr. Nassif added.
The grant program is a key element in the produce industry's plan to pick up more seed funding from the government to increase market share around the world. Specialty crop growers produce about half of U.S. agricultural crops, but few federal resources are put aside to help companies compete in global markets against foreign growers who are often heavily subsidized and/or minimally regulated, according to WGA.
After the full Senate completes action on the bill, the House and Senate will resolve the different funding levels in a House/Senate conference committee later this year.
Lorelei DiSogra of the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association said that she was disappointed at first when she learned the Senate appropriations subcommittee had come up with $9 million for U.S. Department of Agriculture's Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Snack Program. The House had set $25 million in its spending plan. The Senate subcommittee agreed to fund $9 million to continue to support programs in six states and an additional $1 million each for three new states: California, Arkansas and Georgia.
But the Senate funds must be reconciled with the higher-priced House version, and United pledged to push for the $25 million to expand the program. The popular school program is aimed at increasing children's consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, improving their health and reducing their risk of obesity.
"We are pleased with the subcommittee's continued effort to expand the snack program," said Dr. DiSogra, who is vice president of nutrition and health for United.
"We were thrilled for the nation's schoolchildren when the House passed its measure earlier this year with $25 million in funding to expand the snack program to every state, and we'll continue to work through appropriations and the coming 2007 farm bill toward a nationally comprehensive program funded adequately for schools in every state," she said.
Dr. DiSogra added that she hopes more states would be funded during the conference negotiations on the two bills. "We'll be working with the states and their members as we go forward."
Currently 14 states (Utah, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Texas, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, North Carolina, Washington, Mississippi and Pennsylvania) and three Native American Indian tribal organizations are funded to participate in the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Snack Program. Some of the states have a permanent funding stream through the federal child nutrition law.
Western Growers Association praised Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D- CA), Larry Craig (R-ID) and other members of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee for securing $10 million in funding for Specialty Crop Block Grants in the Fiscal Year 2007 Agriculture Appropriations bill.
While an increase over the $7 million Congress provided last year, it still falls short of the $15.6 million approved by the House earlier this spring.
Nevertheless, industry trade groups were pleased to secure funding from the financially strapped Congress.
"Despite an extremely tight federal budget, the senators provided funding for Specialty Crop Block Grants because they recognize the critical importance of moving forward to implement the Specialty Crop Competitiveness Act of 2004," WGA President Tom Nassif said in a June 21 statement.
"This action by a key Senate subcommittee demonstrates that Congress is acting upon [Western Growers'] message that the federal government must increase investments of resources in initiatives designed to meet the urgent needs of U.S. specialty crop growers," Mr. Nassif added.
The grant program is a key element in the produce industry's plan to pick up more seed funding from the government to increase market share around the world. Specialty crop growers produce about half of U.S. agricultural crops, but few federal resources are put aside to help companies compete in global markets against foreign growers who are often heavily subsidized and/or minimally regulated, according to WGA.
After the full Senate completes action on the bill, the House and Senate will resolve the different funding levels in a House/Senate conference committee later this year.
Lorelei DiSogra of the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association said that she was disappointed at first when she learned the Senate appropriations subcommittee had come up with $9 million for U.S. Department of Agriculture's Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Snack Program. The House had set $25 million in its spending plan. The Senate subcommittee agreed to fund $9 million to continue to support programs in six states and an additional $1 million each for three new states: California, Arkansas and Georgia.
But the Senate funds must be reconciled with the higher-priced House version, and United pledged to push for the $25 million to expand the program. The popular school program is aimed at increasing children's consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, improving their health and reducing their risk of obesity.
"We are pleased with the subcommittee's continued effort to expand the snack program," said Dr. DiSogra, who is vice president of nutrition and health for United.
"We were thrilled for the nation's schoolchildren when the House passed its measure earlier this year with $25 million in funding to expand the snack program to every state, and we'll continue to work through appropriations and the coming 2007 farm bill toward a nationally comprehensive program funded adequately for schools in every state," she said.
Dr. DiSogra added that she hopes more states would be funded during the conference negotiations on the two bills. "We'll be working with the states and their members as we go forward."
Currently 14 states (Utah, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Texas, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, North Carolina, Washington, Mississippi and Pennsylvania) and three Native American Indian tribal organizations are funded to participate in the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Snack Program. Some of the states have a permanent funding stream through the federal child nutrition law.
