Legislature

Legislature

Reps. Austin Scott, Raul Ruiz Introduce Bipartisan American Seasonal and Perishable Crop Support Act

Legislation would help local growers fight back against unfair imports

WASHINGTON, DC – This week, Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA-08) joined Rep. Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA-36) in introducing the American Seasonal and Perishable Crop Support Act (H.R. 4580), which would help level the playing field for seasonal and perishable growers who compete against below-market foreign imports. The legislation was drafted in concert with American growers who have seen drastic drops in production as cheap, foreign-subsidized imports have driven prices below a sustainable level.

“For years, Georgia’s producers have struggled to compete with unfair trade practices, including our specialty crop producers who are seeing more and more foreign-subsidized produce dumped into U.S. markets below the cost of production,” said Rep. Austin Scott. “The impact of these unfair trade practices has only been compounded by labor shortages and supply chain issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Food security is national security, and we must ensure we continue to support our American farmers and create a level playing field. That’s why I’m proud to join Congressman Ruiz in introducing the American Seasonal and Perishable Crop Support Act, and I will continue fighting for our U.S. growers and our domestic food supply chain.”  Read more


USDA Announces $14 Billion For CFAP Round 2

On Friday, USDA announced an additional $14 billion will be made available to farmers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. With applications already being accepted, Georgia fruit and vegetable producers may find this round of support more favorable than the initial program available this summer.

“America’s agriculture communities are resilient, but still face many challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. President Trump is once again demonstrating his commitment to ensure America’s farmers and ranchers remain in business to produce the food, fuel, and fiber America needs to thrive,” said Secretary Perdue. “We listened to feedback received from farmers, ranchers and agricultural organizations about the impact of the pandemic on our nations’ farms and ranches, and we developed a program to better meet the needs of those impacted.”

Under the new program, specialty crops like fruits and vegetables will largely be classified in the “Sales Commodities” category. Payment calculations will be based on 2019 farm sales and producers will be paid on a 5-tier graduated payment schedule.  Read more...


Public Policy and Government Relations