February 2019 - 8

BILL
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
Congress, to lead to research being
done on more mechanizations,
because of the labor issue, " said
Virginia Houston, director of
government relations for the
American Seed Trade Association
(ASTA). " Ultimately, I think once they
do get those programs in place and
going, I think we will see an increase
in research in that area. "
Senators Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, and Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, conduct a farm bill
field hearing in Michigan. Roberts is chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition and Forestry, while Stabenow is the committee's ranking member. Photo
courtesy of Debbie Stabenow's office.
Stock and trade
Phil Korson, president of the
Cherry Marketing Institute, said
there were several provisions in the
bill benefiting tart cherry growers,
including language establishing food
grade standards for imported tart
cherry products. Michigan dominates
U.S. tart cherry production but cheap
imports have remained a concern for
many U.S. growers.
Houston said that the farm bill also
will continue to support ASTA's work
promoting international trade.
" From the ASTA perspective, one of
the key titles we monitor is the trade
title, " Houston said. " ASTA is a USDA
cooperator for the Market Access
Program and the Foreign Market
Develop Program. We use those
programs to help solve technical issues
for trade, like phytosanitary issues and
those sort of non-tariff barriers. "
For 20 years, ASTA's work through
those programs funded by the farm
bill has allowed international trade in
seed to happen smoothly.
" We've been doing a lot of work
Grown in the U.S.A.
HELPING GROWERS GROW™ | WENATCHEE, WASHINGTON
with other governments around plant
immunization, and we put on border
workshops between the U.S. and
Mexico to talk about harmonization
of regulations, " she said. " This money
is a key component of ensuring we're
able to keep doing that work. "
Endurance by insurance
Other new provisions include an
expanded crop insurance program for
fruit and vegetable growers, said Sen.
Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, the
ranking member of the U.S. Senate
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition
and Forestry.
" The crop insurance title of the
Red Rubens®
Gale Gala®
Aztec Red Fuji®
bill includes directives for the Risk
Management Agency (RMA) to
improve and streamline the whole
farm revenue insurance for diversified
operations, and to consider new
policies for hops, greenhouses, "
McCarron said. " It also requires
RMA to establish new regional
specialty crop liaisons and an annual
requirement to consider new crops
or counties to expand coverage. For
farmers of crops that may not be
covered by federal crop insurance, the
Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance
Program was also improved and the
maximum coverage level more than
doubled. "
Korson said the crop insurance
Ambrosia™
Montmorency
Early Redhaven
helps growers survive lean years.
" We still have the ability to protect
our growers who are taking those
risks, " he said.
Korson also credited Stabenow for
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Jim Empson | MOBILE 231-590-5713 or 231-944-6653 (Michigan)
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establishing " Specialty Crops and
Horticulture " as one of the farm bill's
12 titles or chapters in the 2014 Farm
Bill as well as keeping it in the 2018
legislation.
Stabenow said in a phone call
with media the bill was a big win for
Michigan, where berries, tree fruit
and vegetables are vital parts of the
economy.
" We grow some of everything,
and it's a very important part of our
economy, " she said. " So, for me, I
care about every part of the farm
bill. " FGN
8 | FruitGrowersNews.com
http://www.FruitGrowersNews.com
February 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2019
