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1 1 (December 14, 2023)

handle is hein.crs/govenrx0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congre sionaI Researchi Servi infoirring Ih rn gisLaiv - debate sinmel 114 Updated December 14, 2023 Farm Bill Primer: Horticulture Title and Related Provisions Beginning in 2008, enacted farm bill legislation has included a horticulture title covering specialty crops and certified organic products. Over the years, this title has included provisions supporting locally sourced products (not limited to crops) and hemp cultivation. Upon enactment of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 farm bill; P.L. 115-334), projected outlays for the horticulture title totaled $1.0 billion (FY2019-FY2023), accounting for less than 0.5% of total projected farm bill spending. Funding for these sectors is not limited to the horticulture title but is also contained within other titles, covering a range of programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Congress has extended farm bill funding through FY2024 (P.L. 118-22, Division A, §102), extending funding for specialty crops, certified organic products, and locally sourced products. The following is an overview of selected 2018 farm bill provisions and issues for the next farm bill related to specialty crops, USDA-certified organic products, and locally sourced foods (for descriptions, see text box). This excludes a discussion of hemp cultivation, which is addressed separately in CRS In Focus IF12278, Farm Bill Primer: Selected Hemp Industry Issues. Specialty Crops The 2018 farm bill reauthorized and expanded funding for many of the existing USDA programs supporting fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops. In the horticulture title, provisions included Specialty Crop Block Grants to states, Specialty Crop Market News data collection, food safety education initiatives, and chemical regulation and information collection. Provisions in other 2018 farm bill titles included the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (research title); USDA purchases of fruits and vegetables for use in domestic assistance programs (nutrition title); and pest and disease research, emergency funding for citrus disease research, federal crop insurance, supplemental disaster assistance, trade promotion, and other marketing programs (various titles). Selected Issues and Options Produce industry groups represent a range of crops and regional interests. In previous farm bills, these groups tended to support reauthorization and expansion of existing USDA programs. The next farm bill also could focus on other legislative priorities within the industry, such as market development and competitiveness, supply-chain disruptions and distribution challenges, export promotion, research and innovation, and expansion of USDA procurement and access to domestic nutrition programs and other USDA programs. Priorities of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA)-representing producer organizations of fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops-cover USDA nutrition programs, competitiveness and sustainability, trade and foreign competition, research and innovation, and natural resources and climate. Other industry priorities involving labor availability and H-2A agricultural guest worker programs or support for U.S. producer groups that are affected by competition from foreign imports may involve reforms outside of a farm bill. Terms and Definitions Specialty crops - fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops (including floriculture) (7 U.S.C. § 1621 note). USDA Organic - agricultural products certified and labeled as grown and processed in accordance with USDA regulations (7 C.F.R. §205) and verified by a USDA-accredited certifying agent according to USDA's National Organic Program (NOP). NOP is a voluntary certification program for producers and handlers that use approved methods and standards, covering organically produced specialty crops, field crops, and animal products (e.g., meat and dairy products), as well as nonfood consumer products. Locally Sourced Foods - No consensus exists for what constitutes locally sourced foods. In most cases, USDA farm programs that support local food systems base program eligibility on using a statutory definition of locally or regionally produced agricultural food products as any food product that is raised, produced, and distributed in the locality or region in which the final product is marketed where the total distance that the product is transported is less than 400 miles from the origin of the product; or ... the State where produced (7 U.S.C. § 1932). Legislation introduced in the 118th Congress would address various industry priorities. These include bills that would expand domestic market development (e.g., H.R. 5061), competitiveness (e.g., H.R. 4838), and support for domestic producers (e.g., H.R. 5062, H.R. 679). Other bills would require reporting on the competitiveness of U.S. specialty crop exports (e.g., H.R. 6399/S. 3300) and address import competition (e.g., H.R. 545/S. 104, H.R. 2536). Other legislation would increase USDA purchases of fruits and vegetables (e.g., H.R. 5589/S. 2874, S. 1639) and funding for fruits and vegetables in various USDA domestic programs (e.g., H.R. 4149/S. 2015, H.R. 3127/S. 2223, H.R. 4185). Other bills would address a specialty crop mechanization and automation initiative (e.g., H.R. 4173) and pest and disease research (e.g., H.R. 3856, S. 322), among other research (e.g., H.R. 4359/S. 2135, S. 2192). Other proposals would modify adjusted gross income (AGI) payment limits that SCFBA claim disproportionately prohibit specialty crop producers from participating in USDA conservation and disaster programs (e.g., H.R. 2942/S. 1365), and other proposals would expand federal

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