Newly Signed Farm Bill is Best Yet for Calif. Growers

President Obama signed  the $956 billion “Agriculture Act of 2014” TODAY, at Michigan State University.

After four years of bitter arguments over farming subsidies and reduced financing for food stamps, the final bill introduces an insurance program that replaces farm subsidies and cuts a compromised $8 billion in food stamps over the next decade.

Dennis Nuxoll, Western Growers Association’s Vice President of Federal Government Affairs, based in Washington, D.C., told Cal Ag Today a few highlights of what the bill does for California ag:

This is probably the best farm bill passed for our fruit and vegetable growers.

The bill makes funds available to:

• Conduct short- and long-term research to combat citrus greening
• Develop conservation programs to address issues such as drought measures
• Combat invasive pests and diseases
• Use for immediate needs such as
  • Identify new cost-effective and efficient food safety techniques
  • Educate growers on these best management practices