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Kuhl Amends Farm Bill

Press Release

Date: June 7, 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Agriculture and Food


KUHL AMENDS FARM BILL

Rep. John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr. (R-Hammondsport), a member of the House Agriculture Committee's Horticulture and Organic Agriculture Subcommittee, today offered two amendments to H.R. 2419, the Farm Bill Extension Act of 2007. The amendments, important to the viability of New York's specialty crops, including wine grapes and apples, passed unanimously.

"The Farm Bill should be about supplying our New York farmers with the tools they need to remain competitive," Rep. Kuhl said. "Specialty crops constitute nearly fifty percent of all agriculture cash receipts. They are produced in every U.S. state and are a critical part of our nation's agriculture industry and economy. These crops greatly impact the economy of our communities, yet despite this, specialty crops are not given equal consideration in the Farm Bill. This needs to change."

The first amendment would establish a National Clean Plant Network throughout the United States. Clean plant programs provide propagation material that is free of virus-like agents.

"Clean plant programs are preventative in nature," said Rep. Kuhl. "As a representative of a wine growing region, I am well aware of the needs of the specialty crops and nursery industries related to clean root-stock. I thank my colleagues on the subcommittee for recognizing the value of this program."

Rep. Kuhl's second amendment would increase the annual payment limitation for payments under the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) from $75,000 per year to $150,000 per year.

"The TAP program is designed to assist growers with costs associated with replacing trees, for example, apple orchards," said Rep. Kuhl. "Unfortunately, like many of the other crops in the farm bill that can be replanted on a yearly basis, orchardists have to wait three to five years before they begin to harvest fruit. The current program does not come close to the actual cost of replacement in the case of large loss of trees. My amendment would offer many New York farmers the assistance they need to recover from disasters beyond their control."

The 2007 Farm Bill is slated to be considered before the full House Agriculture Committee starting June 26, 2007.


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