; Whereas mandatory funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program under section 420 of the Plant Protection Act ( 7 U.S.C. 7721 ) was increased by the Agricultural Act of 2014; Whereas many important agriculture programs did not, however, receive mandatory funding under the Agricultural Act of 2014; Whereas it is paramount that Congress builds on the progress of the Agricultural Act of 2014 to provide funding for these programs in the next act authorizing agricultural programs for a fiscal year after fiscal year 2018, so as to provide certainty to producers across the United States; Whereas overall spending on specialty crops is a small percentage of all funding for crops, including mandatory and discretionary spending; Whereas producers of specialty crops are not eligible for many of the traditional support programs that benefit producers of other crops; Whereas programs that support specialty crops are generally available to all crops, while the opposite is true of specific commodity crops; Whereas fruits and vegetables like red raspberries, almonds, apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, beans, blueberries, citrus, cherries, cranberries, figs, grapes, macadamia nuts, nectarines, onions, papayas, peaches, pecans, peppers, plums, potatoes, pumpkins, sweet corn, certain tomatoes, walnuts, asparagus, beets, strawberries, broccoli, and carrots are just a few of the hundreds of specialty crops grown in the United States; Whereas specialty crops are a driving force in promoting a healthier country and are part of a healthy, balanced diet that can help consumers reach recommended dietary goals, which call for half of plates to be fruits and vegetables; Whereas the number of farms producing fruits, berries, and tree nuts in the United States is steadily increasing; Whereas sales of fruits, berries, and tree nuts in the United States are steadily increasing