SENATE COMMITTEE HEARS SPECIALTY CROP TESTIMONY

Representatives of the specialty crop industry told members of the Senate Agriculture Committee April 24 that the industry’s interests must be addressed in the upcoming Farm Bill. The remarks came during the second of a three-part series of committee hearings dubbed “Economic Challenges and Opportunities Facing American Agricultural Producers Today.”

Committee chairman Tom Harkin of Iowa opened the session by saying he believes specialty crops will be a significant part of the Farm Bill. He added that the legislation should include initiatives to encourage fruit and vegetable consumption and help producers be profitable and competitive in a global marketplace.

Major points of discussion included nutrition programs, the planting flexibility provision, trade issues, state block grants and expanded federal investments in research and development for fruit and vegetable crop production. Other topics included the need for conservation program support, the fight against invasive pests and diseases as well as support for programs that would facilitate lawful entry of farm workers into the United States.

A list of witnesses and their testimony is posted at http://agriculture.senate.gov/. Click on the “Hearings” link on the left side of the page.

STUDY: CHILDREN WHO EAT DIETS RICH IN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESS LIKELY TO DEVELOP ASTHMA, ALLERGIES

Children who eat a Mediterranean diet, high in fruit and vegetables and low in saturated fat, are less likely to develop asthma and allergies, according to new research.

UK, Greek and Spanish researchers assessed the diet and health of almost 700 children living in rural areas of Crete, where asthma is rare, and looked at the incidence of asthma symptoms, such as wheezing, and of allergic rhinitis, caused by dust mite or pet allergies.

The research found that 80% of the children ate fresh fruit, and over two-thirds of them ate fresh vegetables, at least twice a day.

Eating oranges, apples, tomatoes and grapes each day, which about 300 children did, was shown to have a protective effect against wheezing and allergic rhinitis.

-Source: 50Connect.Co.UK

USDA ANNOUNCES HOUSING LOANS, GRANTS

USDA announced April 26 that $52.5 million in loans and grants has been made available to build off-farm housing and help low- and very low-income homeowners make needed repairs. USDA plans to make available $31.9 million for Section 514 farm labor housing loans and about $10.5 million for Section 516 farm labor housing grants.

In addition to the farm labor housing assistance, USDA plans to distribute $10.1 million to help finance rural housing repairs through the Section 533 Housing Preservation Grant program.

Applications are available from USDA Rural Development State Offices.

CREDIT MONITORING AVAILABLE FOR HOLDERS OF EXPOSED SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS

After the discovery that thousands of Farm Services Agency and Rural Development funding recipients’ Social Security numbers were exposed on a federal government Web site, USDA is notifying those affected that it will offer them free credit monitoring services for one year. Anyone who thinks he or she may be entitled to the service, should call (800) 333-4436.

THRIPS RESISTANCE MANAGEMENT MEETINGS SCHEDULED

Certain areas of Florida have experienced tremendous increases in thrips, one of the most damaging pest species affecting fruiting vegetables and other crop production. Because of the extraordinarily high numbers of thrips, Dow AgroSciences has planned two free thrips management meetings, which all fruiting vegetable growers in Southeast Florida are encouraged to attend.

The meetings will be May 1 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Boynton Beach Holiday Inn on North Congress Avenue, and May 2 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Capri on Krome Avenue in Homestead. To register, call Darrin Parmenter at (561) 233-1725.