Nursery industry applauds passage of farm bill by U.S. House of Representatives
"This is a big win..." says OAN Executive Director John Aguirre
The Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN) Executive Director John Aguirre lauded the U.S. House of Representatives for passing a new Farm Bill, H.R. 2419, by a margin of 231 to 191 on Friday. The decision represents a significant victory for the Association, which represents Oregon’s nursery and greenhouse industry, the state’s largest sector of agriculture.
The Farm Bill continues traditional farm income and market stabilization programs, expands conservation programs, and provides new funding for programs to help specialty crop farmers, such as nursery and greenhouse growers.
The OAN asked the Oregon congressional delegation to support the inclusion of language to fund a new initiative to broaden and improve federal programs aimed at preventing the introduction and spread of plant pests and diseases. The Specialty Crop Title of the Farm Bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to collaborate with the nursery industry and research institutions to develop “a nursery pest risk management system” that helps nursery growers cope with the rising threat of new plant pests and diseases such as Phytophthora ramorum, Emerald Ash Borer and Light Brown Apple Moth.
“This is a big win for the nursery and greenhouse industry,” said Aguirre. “The House-passed Farm Bill provides the USDA the direction and funding to dramatically improve the way we combat plant pest and disease threats.”
The Specialty Crop Title provides $200 million in mandatory funding for pest and disease detection and control, and directs the USDA to develop assessments of pest and disease threats and to establish priorities for defeating them. The bill provides for the creation of proactive, cooperative, audit-based certification systems between the USDA, states, and growers to address plant pest infestations.
Other elements of the Farm Bill that benefit the nursery industry include:
n $365 million in mandatory funding to expand the specialty crop block grant program.
n $20 million in mandatory funding to establish and operate the National Clean Plant Network.