Food Safety
Good Agricultural Practices, Produce Traceability – We support safe food production systems, but the Food Safety Moderization Act rules must not be so burdensome so as to prevent our small growers from competing in the marketplace for negligible improvements in food safety.
Labor Issues
Immigration and Farm Labor Reform – Our members regularly list immigration reform and labor availability as one of their main legislative concerns. Our growers need an affordable and dependable labor supply to stay in business. We need immigration reform that creates a legal labor force with reasonable verification requirements. A mandatory E-verify bill without a workable agricultural labor program would be disastrous for American agriculture.
Card Check – We are opposed to the elimination of the secret ballot for employees in deciding on union representation and to mandatory arbitration to resolve failed union and employer contract negotiations.
Appropriations
Specialty Crop Funding – The Specialty Crop Block Grants created under the last Farm Bill have been a major source of funding for our industry’s promotion and research activities. These funds need to be maintained.
Land Grant Agricultural Research and Extension Funding – Federal funding of these key agricultural support programs has continued to dwindle. Farmers depend on the research and extension activities of their land grant institutions.
Nutrition Funding – The Farmers ’ Market Nutrition Program for Women, Infant, Children clients and senior citizens is of great benefit to both of these groups and to our growers.
Health Care Costs
Health Insurance – Most of our members are self-employed and/or small employers. Spiraling health insurance costs threaten their ability to expand or even maintain their operations. We need effective health care reform.
Taxes
Inheritance Tax – This tax should be eliminated as it can cripple a family farm business upon the death of the principal owner.