WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD News) — The House Agriculture Committee heard from several agricultural groups this week about market and trade challenges facing producers.
Alexis Taylor with the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) told the committee that specialty crop growers need additional support.
“American specialty crop growers have faced a convergence of economic pressures over the past several years. Input, regulatory, and labor costs have all risen sharply, while farm returns have not kept pace. These challenges are amplified for specialty crops, which are uniquely labor intensive and often have limited ability to absorb input cost increases because of their perishable nature. A strong specialty crop sector requires more than productive farms. It requires profitable markets, growing consumer demand, and the ability to compete. For growers, that means connecting American production with consumers at home and market opportunities abroad.”
Taylor is calling on Congress to provide at least $5 billion to help specialty crop growers, with assistance based on actual sales losses rather than acreage.
