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April 18, 2024 - WASHINGTON – Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21), along with Representatives David Valadao (CA-22), Elissa Slotkin (MI-07) and David Rouzer (NC-07) have relaunched the bipartisan Congressional Specialty Crops Caucus. The caucus is dedicated to highlighting the issues facing the specialty crop industry and building support for policies that allow U.S. specialty growers, processors, and partners to prosper by providing American families with safe, affordable, and nutritious foods.
“California is the leading producer of specialty crops, with over 400 different crops. Any Farm Bill must include strong, bipartisan support for specialty crops,” said Congressman Costa. This caucus will continue advocating for policies that allow Specialty Crop growers to continue providing American families with safe, healthy foods.”
Specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops. Critical to our nation’s food security, diverse agricultural landscape, and economy, specialty crops account for more than one-third of farm gate value, represent 2.2 million jobs across all 50 states, and contributed $120.6 billion in labor income to the American economy last year. California is the leading producer of specialty crops in the United States both in quantity and in diversity, with a total of over 400 different crops recorded. Fresno and Tulare counties are leading producers of specialty crops like almonds, blueberries, citrus, grapes, peaches, pistachios, tomatoes, and walnuts.
A long-time champion of Specialty Crops, Costa fought to codify the importance of the Specialty Crop sector in American agriculture, through fighting to include Horticulture as its own title in the 2008 Farm Bill. Costa previously served as Co-Chair and reorganized the Specialty Crops Caucus in 2013.
In recent years, Congress has worked on a bipartisan basis to combat unreasonable specialty crop trade barriers, increase access to automation technology, and help producers break into niche American markets. The Specialty Crop Caucus is dedicated to building on this foundation and supporting the interests of specialty crop production.
In addition to the Co-Chairs, members of the Specialty Crops Caucus include U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree (MN-01), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Mario Diaz Balart (FL-26), Buddy Carter (GA-01), Drew Ferguson (GA-03), Rick Allen (GA-12), and Jim Baird (IN-04).
Specialty crop producers in California, and the San Joaquin Valley are applauding the relaunch of the Specialty Crops Caucus.
“Congressman Costa is an invaluable advocate for California’s business community and the agriculture industry,” said Zak Laffite, president of Wonderful Citrus, part of The Wonderful Company, in Delano, California. “Protecting the interests of specialty crop producers in the upcoming Farm Bill and through other legislation is critically important to farmers. We’re very pleased the Congressional Specialty Crop Caucus continues its important work under his leadership and we look forward to supporting their efforts.”
"We are delighted to see the reestablishment of the Congressional Specialty Crop Caucus, highlighting the crucial importance of specialty crops and their significant contribution to our agricultural sector. Almonds, as a premier specialty crop, not only bolster our economy but also enhance the nutritional well-being of people around the globe,” said Aubrey Bettencourt, President & CEO of Almond Alliance. “We express our profound gratitude to Co-chairs Rep. Valadao, Rep. Costa, Rep. Rouzer, and Rep. Slotkin for their steadfast commitment and efforts to champion the causes of specialty crop producers. Their leadership is pivotal in ensuring the sustained prosperity and growth of the specialty crop industry, which in turn supports the wider agricultural community."
Source: Congressman Jim Costa
