January 2023 - 14

" Some of the core discussions have been focused
around the need to expand funding for trade promotion
programs such as the Market Access Program, Foreign
Market Development Program and the Technical
Assistance for Specialty Crops Program, " she said.
Arsenaul anticipates efforts to expand crop insurance
to be more inclusive of specialty crops and allocation
of additional funding for research dollars specific to
specialty crops.
She doesn't see inflation and rising input costs as
being a farm bill issue due to its broad domestic and
global factors, " but there are some efforts and initiatives
going on currently like the USDA domestic fertilizer
program and a number of bills introduced by House
Republicans with the intent to assist here. "
" The bill has passed in the House and now lies in the
Senate for introduction and passage before it can go to
the president's desk. If this doesn't happen in the lame
duck session, the likelihood of it passing under the next
Congress with the House flipped is slim. "
Chris Butts, executive vice president of the Georgia
Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), said
the surge of imported fruits and vegetables continues to
be the main priority for U.S. growers.
He also said programs to increase grower efficiencies
and reduce inputs are certainly an effective way to limit
costs to growers.
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" These programs take time and likely won't help solve
concerns with today's rising input costs, " Butts said.
" The time to invest is now so that growers are better
prepared the next time we see supply chain interruptions
and the resulting rise in input costs. "
Georgia growers and H-2A
Butts said " our growers report the same concerns "
with ag labor challenges. " We continue to support calls
for labor reform and the push to bring common sense
reform to ag labor programs. "
There are positives within the Inflation Reduction
Act " to address conservation and climate issues for
growers but we also need action on trade and labor as
the primary issues impacting our growers on a daily
basis, " Butts said.
Farm Bill discussions, Butts said, should include
seasonal competition issues that failed to be a part of
the USMCA but Florida/Georgia interests wanted to
address in the bill.
" The very future of Georgia's fruit and vegetable
growers is dependent on finding solutions to level the
playing field for our growers, " Butts said. " Farm Bill
discussions must address competitiveness and seek
creative solutions to provide meaningful change to what
is currently a very unbalanced equation. "
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STM 2255
CERES
EL CAPITAN
73 Days
90 Days
Versatile and adaptable
variety with high yield
potential and good vine ripe
flavor. Fruit is an attractive red
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shelf life.
HR: Fol (1,2), For, Va1, Vd1
IR: Ss, TSWV, TYLCV: Is
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14 | JANUARY 2023
A new early boxing type, Ceres
reliably produces fruit that is
consistent in size and shape
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Intermediate resistance to
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85-90 Days
A triploid with excellent yield
potential, extended shipping,
and field holding ability. Small
pip and excellent flavor.
17 21 lbs. HR: Fon:1
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January 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2023
