	Background

A number of different laws authorize the programs and set the policies affecting the U.S. specialty crop sector, which is comprised of producers, handlers, processors, and retailers of fruit, vegetable, tree nut, and nursery crops. One of these is the periodic, omnibus farm act, commonly called the farm bill, that guides the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) commodity income and price support programs, and authorizes and directs funding for the major agricultural trade, conservation, and domestic food assistance programs (e.g., the school lunch program and food stamps), among many others. Other laws besides the farm bill also set policies for programs affecting the specialty crop sector. Issues in the 109th Congress

		FY2006 and FY2007 Appropriations

The Administration's FY2006 budget request did not propose funding for any of the programs authorized in P.L. 108-465 . 108-465 . As of the date of this report, the House-passed USDA appropriations bill included $15.6 million for specialty crop block grants to states for FY2007 ( H.R. Legislative Proposals

			A Major Policy Proposal

In anticipation of possible consideration of specialty crop policies if Congress takes up debate on a new farm bill in 2007, Congresswoman Darlene Hooley and Senator Ron Wyden introduced companion measures in the 109 th Congress to amend the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 and propose additional policies ( H.R. 3562 / S. 1556 , the Specialty Crop and Value-Added Agriculture Promotion Act of 2005). See CRS Report RL33520, Specialty Crops: 2008 Farm Bill Issues , by [author name scrubbed], for more information on this and other 2007 farm bill proposals. 2673 ; P.L. Planting Flexibility

Congress passed a planting flexibility provision in the 1996 farm act ( P.L. A number of bills were introduced in the 109 th Congress proposing to make changes to the H-2A program ( S. 359 / H.R. 3857 , S. 2087 , and others). Positions on guest worker reform proposals are mixed within the specialty crop industry and larger agriculture community.
The U.S. specialty crop sector is comprised of producers, handlers, processors, and retailers of fruit, vegetable, tree nut, and nursery crops. The major U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) commodity price and income support programs do not include specialty crops, but the industry benefits generally from USDA programs related to trade, conservation, credit, protection from pests and diseases, domestic food assistance programs, crop insurance and disaster payments, research, and other areas. Certain programs of the Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Labor also affect the specialty crop sector.
The 108th Congress passed the first law intended to address selected issues of importance to the specialty crop industry as a whole (the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004, P.L. 108-465). It is widely expected that this act will serve as the basis of more comprehensive debate on policies affecting the sector when the House and Senate Agriculture Committees begin consideration of the omnibus farm bill that would take effect when the current farm act (P.L. 107-171) expires in 2007. Another bill that might serve a similar purpose has been introduced in the 109th Congress. The Specialty Crops and Value-Added Agriculture Promotion Act (S. 1556) would amend the 2004 Act to make some of its authorities permanent, and to address issues related to trade, the revenue insurance program, and marketing opportunities for specialty crops. See CRS Report RL33520, Specialty Crops: 2008 Farm Bill Issues, by [author name scrubbed] for more information.
Bills addressing a number of other industry-related issues were introduced in the 109th Congress. These include appropriations for the programs authorized in P.L. 108-465 (H.R. 2744); planting flexibility proposals that could have affected specialty crop supplies and prices (H.R. 2045/S. 1038; S. 194); and guest worker program reform (S. 359/H.R. 884, and others). This report summarizes the 109th Congress's activity on these bills and other specialty crop issues, and will not be updated.