Congress funds grapegrowers; Farm Bill funds research, pest prevention and more

Wines & Vines, July, 2008 by Bill Nelson

Pest and disease management

There are three new programs aimed at managing plant pests and diseases that are of interest to specialty crop producers. These programs will receive $157 million over five years.

The Early Plant Pest Detection and Surveillance Improvement Program focuses on the full range of activities undertaken to find newly introduced plant pests before they become established or infestations become too large and costly to eradicate or control. USDA will enter into a cooperative agreement with each state department of agriculture that agrees to conduct early plant pest detection and surveillance activities.

The bill also provides funding for a new Threat Identification and Mitigation Program to determine and address threats to the domestic production of crops. As part of the program, USDA will develop risk assessments of the potential threat to the agricultural industry of the U.S. from foreign sources, collaborate with the National Plant Board and implement action plans for high-consequence plant pests and diseases, which will assist in preventing the introduction and widespread dissemination of new plant pest and disease threats in the U.S.

Under the Specialty Crop Certification and Risk Management Systems program, the USDA will provide funding and technical assistance to specialty crop growers. The program also will include funds for organizations representing specialty crop growers, and state and local agencies for the development and implementation of audit-based certification systems such as best management practices to address plant pests and to mitigate the risk of plant pests in the movement of plants and plant products.

Specialty Crop Research Initiative

Research has been a top priority for the American grape and wine industry. The Specialty Crop Research Initiative is a new opportunity to get funding for wine and grape research. The law requires matching funds, so creativity will be critical in supporting partnerships with researchers and extension personnel to develop proposals that address industry needs in genetics, plant breeding, sustainability, understanding and improving quality, mechanization, food safety, and pests and diseases.

This groundbreaking provision provides $230 million over five years, which will sponsor research to develop and disseminate science-based tools addressing the needs of specific crops and their regions. Grant recipients will be required

The largest slice of the pie, $1 billion over the next five years, will go to the Market Access Program (MAP). MAP is designed to help producers and trade associations increase international marketing. The rest of the appropriations are apportioned as shown.

to provide matching funds.

In awarding grants, higher priority will be given to projects that are multi-state, multi-institutional or multi-disciplinary, and those that include explicit means of communicating results to producers and the public.

Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative

The bill provides $78 million in mandatory funding for the existing Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative. This research initiative focuses on organic research projects.