Subject:	 Specialty Crop Competitiveness Program
From:		 "Blodgett, Sue" <blodgett@montana.edu>
Date:		 12/16/2004 
To:		 <AgEnto@listserv.montana.edu>,
	"Bauder, James" <jbauder@montana.edu>,
	"Bob Gough" <rgough@montana.edu>, "Bob Stougaard" <ms@montana.edu>,
	"Dennis Cash" <dcash@montana.edu>,
	"Gary Ellingson" <efgde@forestry.umt.edu>,
	"Grey Bill (E-mail)" <wgrey@montana.edu>,
	"Griffith, Duane" <griffith@montana.edu>,
	"Hatfield Pat (E-mail)" <hatfield@montana.edu>,
	"Jack Riesselman" <acxyjr@montana.edu>,
	"Jacobsen, Barry" <uplbj@montana.edu>,
	"Jacobsen, Jeffrey" <jefj@montana.edu>,
	"Jeff Mosley" <jmosley@montana.edu>,
	"Jim Johnson" <acxyjj@montana.edu>,
	"Johnson Greg (E-mail)" <gdj@montana.edu>,
	"Kevin O'Neill (E-mail)" <koneill@montana.edu>,
	"Knight, James" <jknight@montana.edu>,
	"Lanier Will (E-mail)" <wlanier@montana.edu>,
	"Larry Brence" <lbrence@montana.edu>,
	"Lenssen Andy (E-mail)" <alenssen@montana.edu>,
	"Menalled, Fabian" <menalled@montana.edu>,
	"Morrill Wendell (E-mail)" <wmorrill@montana.edu>,
	"Peter Kolb" <efpfk@forestry.umt.edu>,
	"Peterson, Robert" <bpeterson@montana.edu>,
	"Petroff Reeves (E-mail)" <rpetroff@montana.edu>,
	"Rodney Kott" <rkott@montana.edu>,
	"Sherwood, John" <sherwood@montana.edu>,
	"Steele,     Douglas" <dsteele@montana.edu>,
	"Surber, Gene" <gsurber@montana.edu>,
	"Weaver, David" <weaver@montana.edu>,
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	"Wraith, Jon" <jwraith@montana.edu>

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December 8, 2004

>>IFT Weekly Newsletter

>>The U.S. Senate on Dec. 7 passed the Specialty Crop Competitiveness
Act=20

>>authorizing the nation's first major federal funding program for the=20

>>fresh produce industry and setting a potentially historic precedent.

=20

The Specialty Crop Competitiveness Act of 2004 approved by the Senate=20

>>will authorize $54 million annually for five years to enhance the=20

>>competitiveness of each state's fresh produce crops. The majority of
the=20

>>funding will come in the form of block grants through the state=20

>>departments of agriculture.=20

=20

None of the millions of dollars earmarked for=20

>>the produce industry will come in the form of direct subsidies.
Instead,=20

>>the funding will assist the produce industry through technical=20

>>assistance, specialized research programs, regulation review,
education,=20

>>improved food inspection facilities and similar initiatives.=20

=20

The bill was=20

>>cosponsored by 122 members of Congress representing farmers across the


>>nation who grow more than 250 fresh produce crops ranging from lettuce
in=20

>>California to melons in Arizona to blueberries in Maine.

=20

=20

Sue Blodgett, Assoc Prof & IPM Coordinator

Dept Entomology

Montana State University

Bozeman, MT 59717

Phone (406) 994-2402  Fax 994-6029=20

blodgett@montana.edu

=20


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December 8, 2004<=
/o:p>

>>IFT Weekly
Newsletter

>>The U.S. Senat=
e on
Dec. 7 passed the Specialty Crop Competitiveness Act 


>>authorizing the
nation's first major federal funding program for the 


>>fresh produce
industry and setting a potentially historic precedent.


 

The Specialty Crop
Competitiveness Act of 2004 approved by the Senate 


>>will authorize=
 $54
million annually for five years to enhance the 

>>competitivenes=
s of
each state's fresh produce crops. The majority of the 


>>funding will c=
ome in
the form of block grants through the state 

>>departments of
agriculture. 

 

None of the millions of
dollars earmarked for 

>>the produce in=
dustry
will come in the form of direct subsidies. Instead, 


>>the funding wi=
ll
assist the produce industry through technical 

>>assistance,
specialized research programs, regulation review, education, 

>>improved food
inspection facilities and similar initiatives. 

 

The bill was 

>>cosponsored by=
 122
members of Congress representing farmers across the 


>>nation who gro=
w more
than 250 fresh produce crops ranging from lettuce in 


>>California
to melons in Arizona to blueberries in <=
st1:State
w:st=3D"on">Maine.

 

 

Sue Blodgett, Assoc=
 Prof
& IPM Coordinator

Dept Entomology

=
Montana
 State University

Bozeman, MT 59717

Phone (406) 994-240=
2  Fax
994-6029 

blodgett@montana.ed=
u

 







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