Give and take -- that’s the philosophy behind the process of passing a law in this country. Sometimes Congress or the state Legislature passes a law that you like. That's great, but it’s not a no-strings-attached gift. When something good happens, it must be paid for in one way or another.

Such is the case with the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance in its efforts to secure funding for research, block grants, nutritional programs, conservation programs and more to help growers of fruits, vegetables and other non-program crops remain competitive while giving a boost to the health of the American public.

A FAR-REACHING BILL

Most people assume the Farm Bill affects those producing the country’s amber waves of grain and don’t associate it with their own urban or suburban lives. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Farm Bill is a significant, far-reaching bill that touches numerous aspects of consumers' lives: what people eat, how much it costs, how land is used, whether low-income kids get breakfast, and how the rest of the trading world sees the United States. What's more, its affects how Americans get their electricity and what they put in their fuel tanks.

Some people have suggested it be called the “Food and Farm Bill.”

Producers of specialty crops are fighting on two fronts. One is to achieve balance with producers of other types of crops by securing funding for their priorities. The other involves fending off an important change to the existing bill -- the administration is proposing lifting limits that prohibit producers of corn, wheat, rice, cotton and soybeans from planting specialty crops on program crop land. The impact on revenues for existing specialty crop growers would be significant -- to the tune of $3 billion, according to a study commissioned by the Alliance. Under one proposal, farmers who shift some land from subsidized commodities to fruits and vegetables for processing would receive no subsidies on the new crops, but neither would they have to pay the financial penalties required by current law.

A new study shows that if planting restrictions were lifted for growers of program crops receiving government support, those who grow specialty crops like watermelons would suffer severe economic losses.

For example, if a producer grew green beans, the direct payment it would normally receive for growing program crops would be lowered or taken away, and the acres planted with beans would be deducted from the farm's “base acres.” Payments are calculated by base acres, which are the historical average of the planting history of a commodity. Producers payments whether they grow anything on that acreage or not. They can grow whatever they like, or nothing, unless it’s specialty crops.

The Farming Flexibility Act of 2007, introduced in March, would “restore options to Midwest farmers and food processors now penalized by planting restrictions in the 2002 Farm Bill,” according to a news release.

The bill would have far-reaching effects on the specialty crop industry. An economic impact study requested by Alliance found that removing the planting restrictions would result in “a realignment of market forces that have long influenced the total supply of specialty crops. That realignment would increase the supply of fruits and vegetables and result in a reduction of income to those growers in excess of $3 billion.”

SPECIALTY CROP LEGISLATION MOVING FORWARD

On March 20, a bipartisan group introduced the Equitable Agriculture Today for a Healthy America Act (EAT Healthy America Act) in the House. It stressed that specialty crop producers don't want direct payments, but they do want to improve their ability to compete in the marketplace by receiving federal assistance in these areas:

- Competitiveness: The legislation would increase access to export markets by increasing the amount of assistance available through USDA market access and technical assistance programs.

- Nutrition: A fruit and vegetable snack program in schools across the nation would be expanded, and new nutrition programs would be created

- Research: Priority would be given to investment in applied research geared toward the production of specialty crops.

- Invasive pests and diseases: The legislation would increase research funding and increase the number of programs to assist in preventing, detecting and eradicating invasive plant pests and diseases.

The Senate is expected to introduce similar legislation during the week of April 12.

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns conducted listening sessions across the country to hear input on the 2007 farm bill.

Back to the give-and-take, which not only means one bill may offset another; it means that if new initiatives are to be funded, the money must come from somewhere. The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance is consulting with experts in order to present a well-thought-out case to Congress that deals with the harsh realities of budget give-and-take.

The House and Senate have said they would try to agree by April 15 on a spending plan. The House approved its budget plan, with a $20 billion reserve for agriculture through fiscal 2012, on a 216-210 vote March 29. The Senate passed its budget resolution the previous week, earmarking a $15 billion reserve fund for agriculture to cover a period of five years.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

To learn more about how the specialty crop industry is affected by federal policy and the progress being made, go to http://www.competitiveagriculture.org/home.html. Also, put your support behind  key members of Congress who will be influential in the 2007 Farm Bill debate, which is sure to heat up this summer because the deadline to renew the Farm Bill or craft a new version is in September.

And stay informed. Even if you’re not a producer of fruits, vegetables, tree nuts or other specialty crops, this bill is not just something that affects farmers. It affects you, your family, your fuel you put in your car, the environment and the way we trade with other nations.