October 20, 2008

ISSUE 1241

As reported in last week’s Rap-Up, the specialty crop industry will receive increasing annual investments in research over next 10 years. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer said that USDA has awarded more than $28 million to further study critical specialty crop agriculture issues through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative.

In addition, USDA announced Oct. 15 that other progress is being made in farm bill implementation. Among nutrition programs, $390 million worth of fresh fruits and vegetables were purchased in 2008 for distribution through domestic and international feeding programs and $49 million was made available for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program to increase the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables of elementary school children for 2008.

Also of interest to the specialty crop industry, conservation program funding available in 2008 includes an additional $200 million for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to help farmers and ranchers nationwide to solve natural resource problems, $150 million for the Wetlands Reserve Program, and $7.5 million for Agricultural Management Assistance.

For fiscal year 2009, USDA will distribute $1.8 billion in Conservation Reserve Program rental payments to participants across the country.