Last week, Glenn “GT” Thompson, chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, unveiled an outline of the bipartisan policies and priorities of the 2024 farm bill. The legislation, scheduled to be marked up by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Agriculture on May 23, holds the key to crucial resources for various agricultural commodities, including Florida’s citrus industry. On the same day, U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow unveiled the Senate Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act.
Support provided through this legislation is of the utmost importance to the long-term sustainability of the citrus industry. This is a significant step toward moving agricultural policy and investments through Congress.
Several priorities that align with Florida Citrus Mutual’s continued advocacy efforts to combat citrus greening and sustain the industry’s viability are included in the outline. Florida Citrus Mutual will continue to champion these and other components outlined in this version of the 2024 farm bill:
- Increased mandatory funding for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative. This funding is critical to supporting innovative research, especially as the Florida citrus industry works to combat citrus greening and rebuild the state’s signature crop.
- $25 million per year for the Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program to continue to support vital research efforts to mitigate the impacts of citrus diseases.
- The development of the Specialty Crop Mechanization and Automation Research and Development Program to support competitive grants for research and Extension activities to advance and accelerate specialty crop mechanization and automation.
- Reform of the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) to, among other things, eliminate the 15% tree mortality requirement, extend to two years the timeframe for tree replacement or rehabilitation activities, and clarify that a TAP recipient may use assistance to replant using alternative varieties, crops, stand density and location.
- Updates to eligibility requirements for adjusted gross income limitations to better accommodate producers of specialty and other high-value crops and provide exceptions in the disaster programs when producers experience a severe decline in production.
Source: Florida Citrus Mutual
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