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that our family farmers and ranchers have the tools necessary to provide safe, nutri- tious and affordable food for U.S. consum- ers as well as nations abroad.” With the 2018 Farm Bill set to expire in September, the House Agriculture Committee has oversight to craft a five-year farm bill. The Committee chose the World Ag Expo as its first stop to gather feedback. McCarthy said he would like a farm bill that works for farmers in the Central Valley, California and the United States. “Our products are better. Our oppor- tunities are greater,” McCarthy said. “We need water to make it happen. But, at the same time, we need fair trade, and we need to be able to get in front of diseases, so that is why this is so important.” Describing the farm bill as America’s safety net, Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, a se- nior member of the House Agriculture Committee, said “food for all Americans is a national security issue. We hope this year for a successful, bipartisan farm bill because this is about sustainable agriculture.” Also at the session were California Reps. David Valadao, R-Hanford; John Duarte, R-Modesto; Jimmy Panetta, D-Salinas; Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale; and Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara. Some at the event emphasized the need to support farmers with risk management tools, including federal crop insurance.
California Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson, left, convers- es with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pennsylvania, before testifying before the com- mittee in Tulare.
Less than a quarter of California’s 400 commodities are covered by crop insur- ance programs, Johansson said. To re- cover from losses, producers have had to rely on significantly delayed ad hoc fed- eral funding, he said, adding that many have waited nearly three years to see any form of support from the Emergency Relief Program. “It should go without saying that many family businesses simply can- not afford to wait so long,” Johansson
said. “This farm bill should prioritize development of new crop-insurance tools for uncovered producers as well as improvements to existing tools in a practical, affordable way regardless of commodity and farm size.” To this point, Gary Martin, a cotton farm- er from Firebaugh, said since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, ad hoc assistance has been authorized to address weather-re- lated crop disasters and extreme price de- clines caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and trade retaliatory measures. “The increase in costs in our crop trans- lates into a significant decline in the ef- fective safety net offered by the Price Loss Coverage price,” Martin said. “It is critical that the ag committees have the funding necessary to address these challenges in the next farm bill.” Tipton dairy farmer Jared Fernandes told the House panel that safety net pro- grams and federal crop insurance are key to creating a predictable operating envi- ronment for farmers. “We need Congress to maintain strong support for these programs and fend off any cuts,” Fernandes said. “We encourage you to consider updating these programs to make them more effective, increasing reference prices, expanding producer flexibilities and keeping crop insurance affordable to farmers.” To safeguard crops, some said the farm bill should include plant health protec- tions to strengthen, prevent, detect and mitigate invasive pests and diseases through programs such as the Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention Program and the National Clean Plant Network. Alyssa Houtby, senior director of fed- eral affairs at California Citrus Mutual, called for continued support to find a cure for the destructive plant disease huanglongbing, also known as “citrus greening,” which is spread by an insect, the Asian citrus psyllid. “The Central Valley is the No. 1 fresh citrus-producing region in the entire country,” Houtby said. “Over 80% of the U.S. citrus production is right here, and 70% of our total production stays within
the United States of America. We ask Congress to continue the Citrus Trust Fund and continue funding it at that $25 million per year amount.” With more than 70% of California’s al- monds exported, Alicia Rockwell, who handles government affairs for Blue Diamond Growers, said the almond sec- tor needs more tools to help with market access, specifically the oversubscribed Market Access Program, or MAP. “I plead with the committee that this is the year, this is the farm bill that we finally look to getting more dollars put into the Market Access Program,” said Rockwell, who added that Blue Diamond can show there is a $152 return for every MAP dollar invested. For forest health, forest management, watershed health and mitigation of fire risk through the forestry title of the farm bill, Johansson urged the committee to consid- er crafting strong forestry language. “To keep our forests healthy and mit- igate wildfire risk to communities and natural resources, the farm bill should seek to address forest health challenges on federal, state and nonfederal lands,” he said. Some asked that more federal fund- ing be dedicated to agricultural research, which leads to lower costs, improved crop yields and environmental benefits. Though water and labor are not in- dividual titles of the farm bill, some farmers at the listening session said more must be done, including invest- ing in water infrastructure and passing immigration reform. McCarthy said members of the House Agriculture Committee have a big job ahead to finish writing the farm bill. He said the farm programs help farmers take the traditions of the past and apply them to a changing future and global economy. “We realize that competition makes it tougher,” McCarthy said. “But we also re- alize that if America is given a level playing field, we can compete anywhere and win.” (Christine Souza is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at csouza@cfbf.com.)
The Produce Safety Rule is Here; ARE YOU READY?
Farm Employers Labor Service (FELS), an a liated company of the California Farm Bureau (CAFB), has partnered with the Safe Food Alliance through a California Department of Food and Agriculture grant contract. What sets Safe Food Alliance, FELS, and Farm Bureau apart is their total of over 100 years of experience and our dedication to providing technical guidance and leadership to the California agriculture community. Most farms are required to have at least one designated supervisor who has been trained in accordance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety rule. Upon completion of the course, attendees will receive an o cial certi cate from the Association of Food & Drug O cials.
The Food Safety Training Partnership is offering these training courses throughout California. You can find more information and register at
foodsafetytrainingpartnership.com, or call 916-561-5672. Supported by California Department of Food and Agriculture
16 Ag Alert February 22, 2023
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