Stewardship America set out with four conservation priorities for the 2002 Farm Bill.  All four have been accomplished. In addition, several other related provisions have been approved. Here are the four priorities and their status:

scroll down or click on your choice: | Farmland Stewardship Program | Conservation Reserve Program | Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program | Grassland Reserve Program | Other Related Priorities | Priorities for Specialty Crop Producers |

1.  Implement the Farmland Stewardship Program (FSP). This was accomplished in part. For details, see FSP status and, for the pertinent statutory language, Implementing the Farmland Stewardship Program. To view comments on this program from Rep. Adam Putnam, sponsor of the original legislation, click here.

2.  Ensure language is included in the Conservation Reserve Program (Sec. 2101) to:

• allow its full use in all states,

• ensure landowners are encouraged and rewarded for maintaining land in uses to improve water quality and provide habitat for important plant and animal species,

• ensure landowners are able to properly manage enrolled land to prevent the encroachment of invasive species,

• ensure landowners can qualify for the program by broadening the eligibility criteria for what constitutes a "planted agricultural commodity" to include multi-year grasses and legumes and conservation uses of land, and

• as a result of these new criteria, ensure the program minimizes "unintended consequences," to prevent abuses under the old criteria whereby tracts of native lands previously had been converted to agricultural uses solely so the landowner could qualify for the program.

This was accomplished.  For details, see Newly Improved CRP Now Meets Needs of Producers in More States, Including Specialty Crop States.

3.  Ensure language is included in the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (Sec. 2502 which amends Sec. 1240N of the Food Security Act of 1985) to:

• allow the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into agreements of 15 years or longer to provide payments to landowners who are willing to maintain, manage and, if necessary, improve existing habitats that support important plant and animal species.

This was accomplished.  For details, see WHIP Now Allows for Long-Term Agreements to Protect and Restore Plant and Animal Habitats.

4.  Language was proposed to amend the Grassland Reserve Program (Sec. 2401) to ensure:

• existing habitats for important plant and animal species can be retained  -- and not replaced in order to qualify for the program,

• the program applies to all areas of the country, and

• existing plant and wildlife habitats can be protected through the program, when theses habitats support important species, even if the current grasses and shrubs are not the original native species.  A purely technical interpretation of "natural grass and shrublands" or "natural grasslands," as originally described in the House and Senate versions of the Farm Bill, would have disqualified many ranch operations in the U.S., even though many operations currently provide habitat for a large number of threatened and endangered species. This is because older grasses that had lower nutritional values have been replaced in many cases by newer, more nutritional grasses and legumes that now support large, very diverse populations of livestock, deer and other wildlife.

This was accomplished.  For details, see Grassland Reserve Program Allows for Local Flexibility in Protecting Existing Plant and Animal Habitats.

Other Related Priorities

The 2002 Farm Bill establishes an overall funding level of $17.1 billion (over 10 years) for conservation programs, reflecting an increase of over 80% from current conservation spending levels. 

In addition, the Farm Bill contains extensive sections on Trade, Nutrition, Rural Development, Energy, and Miscellaneous Provisions that will benefit producers throughout the U.S. who previously have been left out of most Farm Bill programs.  For a list of these sections of the Farm Bill, with sections highlighted that will be of particular benefit to specialty crop producers, see Farm Bill Programs that Provide New Revenue Sources for Producers and Promote Rural Lands Stewardship.

Issues of Importance to Specialty Crop Producers

Country of Origin Labeling –The 2002 Farm Bill includes mandatory Country of Origin labeling for fruit and vegetables, as well as meat to become effective in two years. 

Methyl Bromide – The 2002 Farm Bill contains language that would allow State, local, and tribal governments to petition USDA for use of Methyl Bromide for the official control of pests, recognizing economic costs and availability of suitable alternatives.  The bill also provides that state, local and tribal governments may petition USDA for the use of transitional products.  If such transition products are not feasible, than USDA must issue a report.   Regulatory reviews must occur within 180 days.

MAP – The Market Access Program (MAP) is increased from $90 million per year to $200 million to be phased in by 2006. This program has been especially valuable to market fruit and vegetable products to international markets.

Sugar  - Farm bill conferees agreed to the removal of the penny penalty for commodity forfeitures, elimination of marketing assessments and reinstatement of marketing allotments.

Production Efficiency - The bill authorizes research and extension grants for improved harvesting productivity of fruits and vegetables including research on mechanical harvesting and development of abscission chemicals.

Invasive Pests and Disease – Unresolved.   The House language would allow the U.S. Department of Agriculture immediate access to financial resources to combat outbreaks of plant and animal pests and diseases and prevent further spread of infestations from occurring.  Current law requires lengthy review by other agencies before funds could be released

Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) – The 2002 Farm Bill provides $19 million annually for technical assistance to resolve phytosanitary trade issues affecting fruit and vegetables in international markets.   

Fruit and Vegetable Government Purchases – The 2002 Farm Bill allocates $200 million annually for the purchase of fruits and vegetables in government nutrition programs.