Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018

Floor Speech

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Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to the Russell amendment, which, if enacted, would have a detrimental impact on producers across our Nation, including many of my wine, grape, and hops producers, as well as the beer and wine industry, not only in my State, but around the country.

This amendment proposes to eliminate wine, distilled spirits, beer, and other alcohol products from the Value Added Producer Grant program administered by the USDA.

These industries, in my State and, quite frankly, across the Nation, are a growing segment of our farm economy, providing thousands of jobs.

It is also important to point out the growing significance of wine and hops exports to their industries. Last year, my State exported $28 million of wine, representing about 5 percent of our total production.

In my home valley of the Yakima Valley in the State of Washington, we account for 75 percent of the U.S. production of hops. With the continued boom of microbreweries and the demand for hops, we must ensure we have available markets.

Our wine grape growers and the wine industry continue to face challenges in export markets, such as the recent tariffs placed on our products by China.

We are in an environment with potential changes in international trade, and farmers are looking for more export markets.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose any efforts to limit our farmers' ability to find markets for their products.

Mr. Chair, I include these letters of support in the Record: one from the Wine Institute, Wine America, Distilled Spirits Council, and the Brewers Association; and one from the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance. May 17, 2018. Re Oppose Russell Amendment to the Farm Bill.

Dear Representative: We write on behalf of the nearly 9,000 small, family owned wineries, 6,200 small and independent breweries and approximately 1,700 distilleries spread across rural America to urge you to vote against the Russell Amendment to the Farm Bill.

This amendment would unfairly target a vibrant and growing segment of U.S. agriculture by seeking to block small wineries, breweries and distilleries from participating in USDA's value-added agriculture marketing grants. Combined, the American wine, brewing and spirits industries have a direct economic impact of $287 billion on the United States economy and support more than 5 million jobs nationwide.

Wineries, distilleries and breweries in America represent the very epitome of value-added agriculture, bringing quality jobs and generating much needed tourism to farming communities across the country. This amendment would make it harder for these communities to benefit fully from this opportunity.

We urge you to support these small businesses and their communities buy opposing the Russell Amendment. Sincerely, Robert P. Koch,

President & CEO, Wine Institute. James Trezise,

President, WineAmerica. Robert D. Pease,

President & CEO, Brewers Association. Mark Gorman,

SVP Government Relations, Distilled Spirits Council. ____ SCFBA, Washington, DC, May 16, 2018.

Dear Members of the House of Representatives: The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance representing over 120 specialty crop organizations across the United States appreciate Chairman Conaway's efforts on H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act that initiates the formal 2018 Farm Bill process and for his diligent efforts to complete Committee action on the measure and get it to the floor of the House. After a thorough review of the H.R. 2, the Alliance is also pleased to see that the Committee has retained many of the specialty crop provisions that were included in the 2014 Farm Bill. Included in the House version are provisions funding key specialty crop priorities such as:

Specialty Crop Block Grants ($85 million/year);

Specialty Crop Research Initiative ($80 million/year);

Trade Programs including MAP ($200 million/year) and TASC ($9 Million/year);

Pest and Disease Programs ($75 million/year) and National Clean Plant Network ($5 million/year);

Food Insecurity and Nutrition Incentive Program (FINI) (Increased to $285 million over five years).

These funding commitments demonstrate that the House recognizes the value of these programs and their tremendous importance to the specialty crop industry and the Alliance is grateful for their inclusion in the House legislation. With debate over the next several days on a series of amendments to H.R. 2, we would like to draw your attention to several amendments we interested in. In particular the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance opposes the following amendments:

Amendment 50 by Rep. Russell prohibits USDA value-added grants for wine and other products;

Amendment 71 by Reps. Brat, Blumenauer, and Titus on Checkoff Programs;

Amendment 93 by Rep McClintock on Crop Insurance;

Amendment 97 by Rep. Faso on Plant Pests;

Amendment 100 by Rep. Rogers on multivitamin purchases through SNAP.

Finally, we look forward to continuing to work with Chairman Conaway and Members of the House Agriculture Committee on further policy objectives that we believe will strengthen this bill and assist the specialty crop industry to compete in a domestic and global market place. These priorities are consistent with our requests since last year and in previous Farm Bills which include enhancing nutrition programs, continuing to support Specialty Crop Block Grant programs, combatting invasive pest and diseases, support trade programs, and research funding.

We look forward to the Farm Bill being considered on the House floor this week and that you will strongly consider our views on the amendments mentioned above. Thank you, John Keeling,

Executive Vice President & CEO, National Potato Council, SCFBA Steering Committee Co-Chair. Mike Stuart,

President & CEO, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, SCFBA Steering Committee Co-Chair. Tom Nassif,

President, Western Growers Association, SCFBA Steering Committee Co-Chair. Robert Guenther,

Sr. Vice President of Public Policy, United Fresh Produce Association, SCFBA Steering Committee Secretariat.

Attachment: List of Specialty Crop Coalition Members. Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance Organization Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance Steering Committee

Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, Co-Chair; National Potato Council, Co-Chair; Western Growers Association, Co- Chair; United Fresh Produce Association, Executive Secretariat; American Mushroom Institute; American Mushroom Institute; AmericanHort; America Pistachio Association; Blue Diamond Growers; California Association of Winegrape Growers; California Citrus Mutual; California Fresh Fruit Association; California Table Grape Commission; Florida Tomato Exchange; Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association.

Idaho Grower Shippers Association; Idaho Potato Commission; National Council of Farmer Cooperatives; National Watermelon Association; National Grape Research Alliance; Northwest Horticultural Council; Produce Marketing Association; Sunkist Growers; Sun-Maid Growers; Texas International Produce Association; U.S. Apple Association; Washington State Potato Commission; Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine. Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance Member Organizations

Alabama Watermelon Association; Arizona Winegrowers Association; Buy California Marketing Agreement; California Association of Nurseries & Garden Centers; California Canning Peach Association; California Dried Plum Board; California Fig Institute; California Fresh Fig Growers Association; California Strawberry Commission; California Walnut Commission; California-Arizona Watermelon Association; Cherry Marketing Institute; Colorado Potato Administrative Committee; Colorado Wine Industry Development Board.

Connecticut Farm Wine Development Council; Connecticut Vineyard & Winery Association; Empire State Potato Growers; Florida Citrus Mutual; Florida Citrus Packers; Florida Strawberry Growers Association; Florida Sweet Corn Exchange; Florida Watermelon Association; Fruit Growers Marketing Association; Georgia Watermelon Association; Grower-Shipper Association of Central California; Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission; Indian River Citrus League; Indiana-Illinois Watermelon Association.

Leafy Greens Council; Maine Potato Board; Maryland-Delaware Watermelon Association; Maryland Wineries Association; Miami- Dade County; Michigan Apple Committee; Minnesota Area II Potato Growers Research and Promotion Council; Minnesota Grape Growers Association; Missouri Wine & Grape Board; National Berry Crop Initiative; National Grape Cooperative Association; National Onion Association; National Peach Council; New England Vegetable and Berry Growers.

New Mexico Wine Growers Association; New York Apple Association; New York Wine & Grape Foundation; North American Blueberry Council; North American Bramble Growers Association; North American Strawberry Growers Association; North Carolina Blueberry Council; North Carolina Grape & Wine Council; North Carolina Potato Association; North Carolina Strawberry Association; North Carolina Watermelon Association; Northern Kentucky Vintners & Grape Growers Association; Northern Plains Potato Growers.

Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.; Ohio Wine Producers Association; Oklahoma Grape Growers & Wine Makers Association; Oregon Potato Commission; Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission; Oregon Strawberry Commission; Oregon Wine Advocacy Council; Oregon Winegrowers Association; Peace River Valley Citrus Growers Association; Peerbolt Crop Management; Potato Growers of Idaho; Rocky Mountain Association of Vintners & Viticulturists.

South Carolina Watermelon Association; Tennessee Farm Winegrowers Association; Texas Citrus Mutual; Texas Vegetable Association; Texas Wine & Grape Growers Association; Texas Watermelon Association; Tropical Fruit Growers of South Florida; United Fresh Potato Growers of Idaho; United Potato Growers of America; Virginia Apple Growers Association; Virginia Wineries Association; Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers; Washington Red Raspberry Commission.

Washington State Apple Commission; Welch's; Western Pistachio Association; Western Watermelon Association; Wine Institute; Wine Producers Commission; WineAmerica; Winegrape Growers of America; Winegrowers Association of Georgia; WineMichigan; Wyoming Grape & Wine Association; Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association.

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Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Chair, we should not be singling out key agricultural industries under programs like this. We should not be picking winners and losers among our farmers.

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Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the gentlewoman from Wyoming for yielding me time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of amendment No. 20 offered by my friend Ms. Cheney, and I am a proud cosponsor, as well, of this amendment.

This amendment would provide resources for ranchers that are facing unforeseeable events, like natural disasters.

In my district, particularly in the northern counties of north- central Washington, where catastrophic wildfires are becoming far too common an occurrence, ranchers can be forced off of their allotments due to wildfires causing their land to be unsuitable for grazing. When these ranchers are forced off of these allotments due to these external factors, they have nowhere to take their livestock.

This amendment will provide a solution to this problem by allowing these ranchers to take their livestock to vacant allotments in the event they face one of these unfortunate but all too common occurrences.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to urge my colleagues to support amendment No. 20, and I thank my colleague Ms. Cheney for her leadership on this issue.

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