February 2019 - 7

BILL
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language opening the door to
mechanical harvester projects being
further supported by grants.
" First, the bill supports
development of technologies for
specialty crops in several research
programs and may be used to research
mechanical harvesters for blueberry and
cherry growers, " said Jess McCarron, a
spokeswoman for the Senate. " In (Specialty
Crop Research Initiative) SCRI and
(Agriculture and Food Research Initiative)
AFRI, the bill allows research funding to be
used to develop new mechanization tools.
In (Agriculture Advanced Research and
Development Authority) AGARDA, there
is a priority that research funding through
the program go to projects that support
new technologies for specialty crops. This
may include research on technology that
is used to improve producing, harvesting,
packaging, distributing or transporting
specialty crops. "
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 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
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 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 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. " VGN
PERFORMANCE
COLLABORATION
QUALITY
INDEPENDENCE
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.
Mechanization of labor-intensive activities
such as harvesting in strawberries and other
crops could reduce specialty crop growers'
reliance on foreign seasonal workers.
" I do think that is the intent of 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. "
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
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VGN | FEBRUARY 2019 | 7
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February 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2019