Agriculture secretary says increased federal spending on produce would benefit Calif. growers

Friday, February 2nd 2007, 6:37 am

By: News On 6

MODESTO, Calif. (AP) _ A farm bill proposed earlier this week by the Bush administration would benefit California farmers by boosting federal spending on fruits, vegetables and the marketing of the state's crops overseas, the U.S. agriculture secretary said.

The bill, proposed Wednesday, would trim $18 billion from current federal agriculture spending over the next five years. But California farmers would benefit, as the bill calls for an additional $3.25 billion in federal spending on produce that would go toward federal food programs, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said Thursday.

``If you are a fruit and vegetable grower, I promise you, you will see a presence in farm policy that you have never seen before,'' Johanns said at a meeting with state officials.

California sells more produce than any other state, leading in the sale of dozens of fruits, nuts and vegetables, including grapes, almonds, raisins and carrots. Most of those crops don't receive federal subsidy payments, farmers said.

``We grow what you buy every week in the grocery store,'' said George J. Miller, who grows peaches, almonds and walnuts on 250 acres in Modesto. ``We can't keep fresh peaches stored in a warehouse for two years like you can with wheat.''

The state would also get a share of a proposed $1 billion that would go toward research on pest control and the breeding of plants over the next 10 years, Johanns said.

Many California farmers called the $87.3 billion spending bill a good first step. But others said they worried Congress would overhaul it to direct those funds to traditionally subsidized crops such as rice, corn and soybeans.

More federal funds for fruits and vegetables is important if U.S. growers want to compete on the world market, said Russel Efird, president of the Fresno County Farm Bureau.

In all, the plan is not a radical departure from current farm programs, which Democratic leaders and major farm groups have pushed to maintain.

But it is historic that fruits and vegetables were considered so significantly in this farm bill, said state Rep. Dennis Cardoza, who called the proposal promising.

The plan would cost $87.3 billion over the next five years, not counting food stamps and other nutrition programs, compared with $105 billion spent on farm programs over the past five years.

``It'll be great if it goes through,'' Miller said. ``But you have to wonder what they'll cut from now until it's passed.''