,,iv  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #cdf  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,may #ai1 #bjag,ms4   
,del,bene 7= h]self1 ,ms4 ,blunt        
,ro*e/]1 ,mr4 ,c>bajal1 ,mr4            
,o',hall]an1 ,ms4 ,adams1 ,ms4 ,wass]man
 ,s*ultz1 ,ms4 ,%ea-,port]1 ,mr4 ,sean  
,patrick ,maloney ( ,new ,york1 ,mr4    
,wel*1 ,mr4 ,ne:\se1 & ,mr4 ,panetta7   
submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0     
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,agriculture  
,,resolution  ,express+ ! s5se ( ! ,h\se
 ( ,repres5tatives t specialty crops are
 a vital "p ( agriculture 9 ! ,unit$    
,/ates1 & t ,congress %\ld fund programs
 t support specialty crops4  ,:]eas     
specialty crops are def9$ 9 section #c (
 ! ,specialty ,crops ,competitiv5ess    
,act ( #bjjd 7,public ,law #ajh-dfe2 #g 
,u4,s4,c4 #afba note7 z fruits &        
vegetables1 tree nuts1 dri$ fruits1 &   
horticulture & nurs]y crops 7includ+    
floriculture72 ,:]eas produc]s 9 !      
,unit$ ,/ates gr[ m ?an #cej types (    
fruit1 vegetable1 tree nut1 fl[]1       

nurs]y1 & o!r horticultural crops2      
,:]eas ! ye>ly value ( specialty crop   
production totals ne>ly #fj1jjj1jjj1jjj1
 :i* acc\nts = ab\t "o-f\r? ( all       
dome/ic crop value2 ,:]eas sales ( fre% 
& process$ fruits & vegetables total    
ne>ly #ajj1jjj1jjj1jjj annually2 ,:]eas 
comb9$ exports ( specialty crops gr[n 9 
! ,unit$ ,/ates total$ ab\t             
#ad1jjj1jjj1jjj z rec5tly z #bjac1 :i*  
acc\nts = ab\t #aj p]c5t ( all          
agricultural exports f ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 
,:]eas approximately #bde1jjj f>ms 9 !  
,unit$ ,/ates gr[ a v>iety ( specialty  
crops2 ,:]eas all #ej ,/ates h specialty
 crop production1 :i* is mo/ highly     
conc5trat$ 9 ,cali=nia1 ,florida1       
,wa%+ton1 ,oregon1 ,nor? ,dakota1 &     
,mi*igan2 ,:]eas ! ,agricultural ,act ( 
#bjad 7,public ,law #aac-gi7 includ$    
unprec$5t$ am\nts ( fund+ = vital &     
critical programs su* z ! ,specialty    
,crop ,block ,grant ,program1 !         
,specialty ,crop ,rese>* ,initiative1 & 
! ,national ,clean ,plant ,network2     

,:]eas1 pursuant to section #gcjf ( !   
,agricultural ,act ( #bjad1 ! ,specialty
 ,crop ,rese>* ,initiative1 e/abli%$ "u 
section #dab ( ! ,agricultural ,rese>*1 
,ext5sion1 & ,education ,re=m ,act (    
#aiih 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #gfcb71 receiv$     
m&atory fund+ = fiscal ye> #bjah &      
subsequ5t fiscal ye>s2 ,:]eas m&atory   
fund+ = ! ,national ,clean ,plant       
,network "u section #dbj ( ! ,plant     
,protection ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #ggba7 0 
increas$ by ! ,agricultural ,act (      
#bjad2 ,:]eas m&atory fund+ = !         
,specialty ,crop ,block ,grant ,program 
"u section #dbj ( ! ,plant ,protection  
,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #ggba7 0 increas$ by 
! ,agricultural ,act ( #bjad2 ,:]eas _m 
important agriculture programs did n1   
h[ev]1 receive m&atory fund+ "u !       
,agricultural ,act ( #bjad2 ,:]eas x is 
p>am\nt t ,congress builds on ! progress
 ( ! ,agricultural ,act ( #bjad to      
provide fund+ = ^! programs 9 ! next act
 au?oriz+ agricultural programs = a     
fiscal ye> aft] fiscal ye> #bjah1 s z to

 provide c]ta9ty to produc]s across !   
,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas ov]all sp5d+ on   
specialty crops is a small p]c5tage (   
all fund+ = crops1 includ+ m&atory &    
discretion>y sp5d+2 ,:]eas produc]s (   
specialty crops are n eligible = _m ( ! 
traditional support programs t b5efit   
produc]s ( o!r crops2 ,:]eas programs t 
support specialty crops are g5]ally     
available to all crops1 :ile ! opposite 
is true ( specific commodity crops2     
,:]eas fruits & vegetables l r$         
raspb]ries1 almonds1 apples1 apricots1  
avocados1 bananas1 beans1 blueb]ries1   
citrus1 *]ries1 cranb]ries1 figs1       
grapes1 macadamia nuts1 nect>9es1       
onions1 papayas1 pea*es1 pecans1 pepp]s1
 plums1 potatoes1 pumpk9s1 sweet corn1  
c]ta9 tomatoes1 walnuts1 asp>agus1      
beets1 /rawb]ries1 broccoli1 & c>rots   
are j a few ( ! hundr$s ( specialty     
crops gr[n 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas    
specialty crops are a driv+ =ce 9       
promot+ a heal?i] c\ntry & are "p ( a   
heal?y1 balanc$ diet t c help consum]s  

rea* recomm5d$ diet>y goals1 :i* call = 
half ( plates to be fruits & vegetables2
 ,:]eas ! numb] ( f>ms produc+ fruits1  
b]ries1 & tree nuts 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates is
 /eadily increas+2 ,:]eas sales (       
fruits1 b]ries1 & tree nuts 9 ! ,unit$  
,/ates are /eadily increas+2 ,:]eas     
accord+ to ! mo/ rec5t c5sus data       
publi%$ by ! ,c5sus ( ,agriculture 9    
#bjab1 #ajf1jjj f>ms produc$ fruits1    
tree nuts1 & b]ries ) a total value (   
#be1ijj1jjj1jjj1 an increase (          
#g1cjj1jjj1jjj 9 #e ye>s2 ,:]eas accord+
 to su* ,c5sus1 ! value ( sales =       
vegetables1 potatoes & melons increas$ f
 #ad1gjj1jjj1jjj 9 #bjjg to             
#af1ijj1jjj1jjj 9 #bjab2 ,:]eas accord+ 
to su* ,c5sus1 ! value ( nurs]y1        
gre5h\se1 & floriculture sales 0        
#ad1ejj1jjj1jjj 9 #bjab2 ,:]eas x is    
evid5t t specialty crops are an         
increas+ly important "p ( agriculture 9 
! ,unit$ ,/ates2 & ,:]eas specialty     
crops des]ve _! fair %>e ( consid]ation 
& fund+ 9 agriculture g5]ally1 b        

especially 9 ! annual appropriations    
process & ! next act au?oriz+           
agricultural programs = a fiscal ye>    
aft] fiscal ye> #bjah3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x 
,t x is ! s5se ( ! ,h\se (              
,repres5tatives t-- 7#a7 specialty crops
 are a vital "p ( agriculture 9 ! ,unit$
 ,/ates2 &  7#b7 ,congress %\ld pass    
legislation fund+ programs t support    
specialty crops z a gr[+ & important "p 
( agriculture 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates4