[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 125 (Wednesday, October 6, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10575-S10576]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CRAIG (for himself, Ms. Stabenow, and Mr. Wyden):
  S. 2902. A bill to ensure an abundant and affordable supply of highly 
nutritious fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops for American 
consumers and international markets by enhancing the competitiveness of 
United States-grown specialty crops; to the Committee on Agriculture, 
Nutrition, and Forestry.
  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the ``Specialty 
Crop Competitiveness Act of 2004.'' This bipartisan legislation co-
sponsored by the distinguished Senator from Michigan, Senator Stabenow, 
increases the focus on the contribution that specialty crops add to the 
United States agricultural economy. This bill specifically provides the 
proper and necessary attention to many challenges faced throughout each 
segment of the industry.
  Most do not realize the significance of specialty crops and their 
value to the U.S. economy and the health of U.S. citizens. According to 
the United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, 
fruits and vegetables alone added $29.9 billion to the U.S. economy in 
2002. This figure does not even include the contribution of nursery and 
other ornamental plant production.
  The specialty crop industry also accounts for more than $53 billion 
in cash receipts for U.S. producers, which is close to fifty-four 
percent of the total cash receipts for all crops. A surprising fact to 
some is that my State of Idaho is the Nation's fourth largest producer 
of specialty crops. Idaho proudly boasts production of cherries, table 
grapes, apples, onions, carrots, several varieties of seed crops and of 
course one of our most notable specialty crops, potatoes.
  Maintaining a viable and sustainable specialty crop industry also 
benefits the health of America's citizens. Obesity continues to plague 
millions of people today and is a very serious and deepening threat not 
only to personal health and well-being, but to the resources of the 
economy as well. This issue is now receiving the necessary attention at 
the highest levels, and specialty crops will continue to play a 
prominent role in reversing the obesity trend.
  The ``Specialty Crop Competitiveness Act'' will also provide a 
stronger position for the U.S. industry in the global market arena. 
This legislation promotes initiatives that will combat diseases both 
native and foreign that continue to be used as non-tariff barriers to 
U.S. exports by foreign governments. Additionally, provisions in this 
bill seek improvements to Federal regulations and resources that impede 
timely consideration of industry sanitary and phytosanitary petitions. 
This bill does not provide direct subsidies to producers like other 
programs. This legislation takes a major step forward to highlight the 
significance of this industry to the agriculture economy, the benefits 
to the health of U.S. citizens, and the need for a stable, affordable, 
diverse, and secure supply of food.
  Although we near the end of the 108th Congress. I look forward to 
working with my colleagues and the Administration now to consider this 
comprehensive and necessary legislation.
  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise to join my colleague Senator 
Craig in introducing The Specialty Crop Competitiveness Act of 2004. 
This legislation would help increase the production and consumption of 
fruits and vegetables in the United States. I would like to thank my 
colleague Senator Craig for his hard work and leadership on this 
legislation, and his outstanding commitment to the specialty crop 
community.
  Fruits and vegetables are vital to good health, and far too many 
Americans do not consume enough of the fresh fruits and vegetables that 
they desperately need. Increased consumption of fresh produce will 
provide tremendous health and economic benefits to consumers and 
growers.
  For far too long, specialty crops have been ignored by the United 
States Department of Agriculture. The majority of crops grown in 
America, from apples, pears, and cherries, to tomatoes, carrots, 
cucumbers, and nursery plants do not receive the same subsidies or USDA 
consideration as program crops. All of our farmers work hard and take a 
great gamble every year to produce and receive a return on their crops. 
They gamble against heat, drought, frost, storms, and more recently a 
flood of foreign produce to our markets.
  I represent a diverse agricultural State, and I want American farmers 
to understand that this legislation is in no way designed to take away 
funding from program crops, but rather to bring specialty crops up to 
the status of program crops. This legislation would address a number of 
issues critical to our nation's specialty crop growers. First, it would 
create a specialty crop block grant to state agriculture departments to 
support production-related research, commodity production, nutrition, 
food safety and inspection and other competitiveness enhancing 
programs.
  The legislation would also improve our growers' access to foreign 
markets. Thus far, many of our trade agreements have failed to open new 
markets to our growers, but rather have created new headaches. Our 
markets have faced problems from new invasive species, currency 
manipulation, and a flood of products, such as apple juice concentrate, 
which have invaded hurt our Nation's growers. Therefore, this 
legislation would require the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) to create a division that would handle industry petitions on 
sanitary and phytosanitary barriers to specialty crop exports. It would 
increase the technical assistance funding for specialty crop and study 
the effects of recent trade agreements and propose a strategy for 
specialty crop producers to more effectively benefit from international 
trade opportunities. In order to benefit our farmers, we must ensure 
that free trade is fair trade.

  Also important to my home State of Michigan is the Tree Assistance 
Program (TAP), which is designed to provide financial relief to growers 
who lose trees and vines due to natural causes. This past summer in 
Michigan, a number of our fruit growers suffered damage from hail 
storms on the western side of our State. TAP funds will be critical to 
restoring trees and vines damaged in the storms. However, it take a 
number of years to obtain a return on new fruit trees. Because of the 
high per acre cost of establishing perennial crops, our legislation 
would increase the limitation on assistance under the TAP from $75,000 
to $150,000 for each eligible farm.
  In addition, this legislation would correct a two year old 
misinterpretation by the USDA. The 2002 Farm Bill states that at least 
$200 million must be spent annually on the purchase of specialty crops. 
The Farm Bill Conference Report emphasizes that the allocated $200 
million is to be used for additional purchases, over and above the 
purchases made under current law. For example in 2001, the USDA 
purchased $243 million in fresh fruits and vegetables; therefore the 
new total under the Farm Bill should be $443 million in purchases.
  Unfortunately, the USDA is not complying with this provision. Instead 
of adding the $200 million on top of baseline spending for school lunch 
and senior programs, USDA has eliminated the baseline spending so there 
is no guarantee of any new spending on fruits and vegetables for our 
children. In fact, in 2002 USDA did not even meet the minimum purchase 
requirement; only $181 million in fresh fruits and vegetables were 
purchased. The Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act will correct this 
discrepancy and provide our Nation's children with much needed fruits 
and vegetables.
  Supporting our Nation's specialty crop growers and providing 
nutritious fruits and vegetables to our nation's consumers is vital to 
ensuring our own health and the health of our economy. I am proud to 
introduce this legislation and I hope that my colleagues will join me 
in its support.

[[Page S10576]]

                                 ______