Washington, D.C. — Apple growers, and other specialty crop producers, are facing unprecedented challenges and the U.S. government needs to rearrange its priorities in agricultural policy, John Rice, an apple grower and packer from Gardners, PA, told members of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee today. Rice addressed a Committee hearing to support "The Specialty Crops Competition Act" (SCCA), S. 1160, which outlines the specialty crop industry's goals for the 2007 Farm Bill.

"The apple industry, and the specialty crop industry, hope and expect to remain an important part of the American agricultural economy, and the American way of life," Rice, a former USApple Chairman and current member of the Board of Trustees, testified before the Committee. "We are, after all 'as American as apple pie.' But to survive, we need the support of an agricultural policy that will promote our products and help our farmers, and not burden them with regulations. The specialty crop industry is strongly advocating for programs that will grow demand and consumption of our products, and build long-term competitiveness and sustainability for our industry. The introduction of the SCCA represents a step toward this goal. The 2007 Farm Bill could help us open the door to a healthier produce industry, and a healthier America. It is time that we rearranged our priorities with regard to American agricultural policy."

To this end, the SCCA contains strong marketing, research, nutrition and trade programs that should be given serious consideration for the 2007 Farm Bill. Programs such as the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which is expanded in the SCCA, are "critical to our industry's survival," said Rice. "The apple industry benefited from the original block grant program which improved marketing, trade, and research programs throughout the country. The program allows states the flexibility to determine what types of programs best serve producers in each state."

Trade programs, such as the expansion of the Market Access Program (MAP), are also an important issue for the specialty crops industry. MAP has been very beneficial to the apple industry, helping to level the playing field with competitors such as China and Chile. MAP is a great example of a successful partnership between government and private business, because it operates with matching funds provided by American growers, and these producers help to direct and manage the way the funds are spent.

Consumers are placing an increased value on sustainability and conservation of natural resources, and the specialty crop industry is trying to respond. However, such changes can be very costly and these investments are difficult to recoup. The next Farm Bill should include expansion of conservation programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Security Program (CSP), which encourage sound stewardship of the environment.

Government support is also needed to boost the competitiveness of the specialty crop industry through increased investment in research, such as improving labor productivity, varietal selection, production efficiency and fruit quality. "If we do not make this investment, there is a real possibility that apple production will be another American industry that is out-sourced to low-cost producers in other countries," warned Rice. "China alone has the productive capacity and the desire to replace every American apple in the marketplace today. With our present government policies of benign neglect for our specialty crop sector, this is a real possibility within the lifetimes of our children."

Now is the time for the 2007 Farm Bill to provide meaningful provisions for specialty crop growers. "In many ways, it is an exciting time to be in the apple business," said Rice. "Demand seems to be growing. The USDA's new Dietary Guidelines call on Americans to double their servings of fruits and vegetables. A number of exciting new health research studies have found possible links between the consumption of apples and apple products with a lower risk of breast cancer, heart disease, asthma, Alzheimer's disease and other serious health issues. New great-tasting varieties and new products like convenient, bagged fresh-sliced apples may lead the way to expanding consumer demand and apple consumption."

Note: The text of this release can be downloaded from the News Releases section of USApple's Media Web site, at http://www.usapple.org/media/newsreleases/index.shtml. The U.S. Apple Association (USApple) is the national trade association representing all segments of the apple industry. Members include 36 state and regional apple associations representing the 7,500 apple growers throughout the country, as well as more than 300 individual firms involved in the apple business. USApple's mission is to provide the means for all segments of the U.S. apple industry to join in appropriate collective efforts to profitably produce and market apples and apple products.