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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Friday, August 16, 2024
The Food Safety Modernization Act imposed new regulations on imported fruits and vegetables but appears to have had little impact on Mexican exports to the United States, according to an analysis by USDA’s Economic Research Service.
A House bill introduced Thursday would address one of the top farm bill goals for specialty crop growers by setting up a grant program to ease the cost of adopting automation in their operations.
Overall, American agricultural exports have recovered from the trade war with China that began five years ago, but many specialty crops still suffer from Chinese retaliatory tariffs.
The House and Senate Agriculture Committees are still several months away from voting on a new farm bill, but the major issues in each of the 12 titles are coming into focus even as lawmakers continue offering new proposals they’d like to see included. Here is a summary of the issues in play as well as notable proposals lawmakers would like to see included in the bill.
Senators were warned Wednesday that the EPA’s new regulations for plant-incorporated protectants will slow the breeding of new fruit and vegetable varieties that are more resistant to pests and diseases.
The House Agriculture Committee is set to hold its first hearing this year on farm bill nutrition programs, while a Senate Agriculture subcommittee this week will analyze the horticulture title.
Crop insurance companies and their agents have spent years fighting off cuts in Congress or at USDA. Now, they're arguing limits imposed more than a decade ago are unfairly shrinking returns for specialty crop policies, a priority sector for policymakers, and appealing for an increase in federal reimbursement.
Controlled environment agriculture leaders see legislative updates and regulatory changes as key ways to help the expanding industry deliver local, healthy foods that also offer nutritional, environmental and economic benefits.
Sunshine State growers are looking to the upcoming farm bill to get help with automation, an issue they raised several times Monday at a House Ag Committee listening session in Newberry, Florida.
Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare systems in Houston and Salt Lake City will provide veterans with fresh fruit and vegetables as well as nutrition coaching to test whether produce prescriptions can improve the health of people with diet-related health conditions.