The following is a press release from the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, of which WineAmerica is a member.

Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance Urges Action on 2012 Farm Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C – Both the Senate and the House Agriculture Committees have made a strong effort to advance their respective versions of the 2012 Farm Bill. Based on the current information regarding the House moving forward this week with a one-year extension of the 2008 Farm Bill along with disaster assistance, the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance has released the following statement:

The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance strongly supports congressional efforts to reauthorize the Farm Bill this year. Both the House and Senate have made significant progress in this endeavor by making critical enhancements and reforms to key programs important to specialty crop producers in this country. We urge Congress to continue moving forward with a legislative process that best achieves those objectives this year.

We are concerned that a one-year extension falls short of that goal and hinders access to key programs for our producers directly related to research, value-added producer grants, and important programs that enhance domestic production. An extension of the current law would be a missed opportunity to enact federal agriculture policy that increases access for specialty crops and fosters competition for our industry both domestically and globally.

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The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance is a national coalition of more than 120 organizations representing growers of fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, nursery plants and other products. The alliance was established to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crop agriculture and improve the health of Americans by broadening the scope of U.S. agricultural public policy. For more information, visit www.strongeragriculture.org.