Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004

Bill: 108-hr-3242
Sponsor: Rep. Ose, Doug [R-CA-3]
Introduced: 2003-10-02 in the House
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Agribusiness
Agricultural assistance
Agricultural conservation
Agricultural credit
Agricultural extension work
Agricultural research
Agricultural subsidies
Agriculture in foreign trade
Air pollution control
Animals
Biotechnology
Bribery
Child nutrition
Commerce
Compensation (Law)
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Cost effectiveness
Crime and Law Enforcement
Department of Agriculture
Developing countries
Diet
Disaster relief
Economic research
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Emergency Management
Employee crimes
Employee training
Environmental Protection
Environmental research
Executive Office of the President
Executive reorganization
Exotic animals
Exotic plants
Export finance
Exports
Families
Farm income
Farmers
Federal aid to education
Federal employees
Federal installations
Food safety
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign trade promotion
Fruit
Genetic research
Genetics
Government Operations and Politics
Government liability
Government publicity
Government trust funds
Grants-in-aid
Health
Health education
Horticulture
Imports
Intellectual property
International Affairs
International competitiveness
Labor and Employment
Law
Marketing of farm produce
Marketing orders
Methyl bromide
New York City
Non-native species
Nonprofit organizations
Nontariff trade barriers
Nuts
Patents
Pest control
Pesticide regulation
Plant diseases
Plant protection
Plants
Produce trade
Product development
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Public meetings
Public-private partnerships
Science, Technology, Communications
Secondary education
Social Welfare
Strategic planning
Sustainable agriculture
Tariff
Trade agreements
Trees
Urban affairs
Urban education
Urban growth
Vegetables
Virginia

Summary:
action_date: 2003-10-02
text: 
Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2003 - Defines &quot;specialty crop&quot; as all agricultural crops, except wheat, feed grains, oilseeds, cotton, rice, peanuts, sugar, and tobacco.
 
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to make grants to States to enhance specialty crop competitiveness. Bases grant amounts on specialty crop production value.
 
Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to increase fruit or vegetable producer operating loan limits.
 
Amends the Agricultural Adjustment Act, reenacted with amendments by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, to provide for marketing order specialty crop food safety programs.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to State or local educational agencies for school garden programs that permit children to learn about specialty crops' dietary importance. 
 
Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to: (1) increase maximum orchardist assistance under the tree assistance program; and (2) increase and extend specialty crop technical assistance.
 
Directs the Secretary to use specified funds to provide restitution to licensed specialty crop shippers for economic losses resulting from the preparation of false inspection certificates by Department of Agriculture graders at Hunts Point Terminal Market, Bronx, New York. 
 
Authorizes appropriations for the maintenance of the Agricultural Marketing Service inspection training center in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
 
Directs the United States Trade Representative to establish at least one position in the Office of the United States Trade Representative for specialty crop trade matters. 
 
Directs: (1) the General Accounting Office to conduct a study on why and to what extent U.S. specialty crops have not benefited from the Uruguay Round; and (2) the Secretary to prepare a foreign market access strategy plan aimed at increasing such exports. 
 
Directs the Secretary to establish: (1) in the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the Department, the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Export Petition Division to process petitions for reducing sanitary and phytosanitary export barriers; and (2) in the Department an office to develop and protect intellectual property rights in plants and plant materials.
 
Provides for a Foreign Agricultural Service study of supplier credit guarantee program modifications in order to increase specialty crop exports.
 
Directs the Secretary to transfer the Office of Pest Management Policy of the Department from the Agricultural Research Service to the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture for administrative and funding purposes.
 
Provides for additional research initiatives respecting: (1) methyl bromide alternatives; (2) specialty crop clean air benefits; (3) produce quality improvement; (4) new crop protection tools and integrated pest management; (5) foreign invasive pests and diseases; and (6) national specialty crop development initiative grants.
 
Establishes in the Treasury the Invasive Pest and Disease Response Fund to support emergency eradication and research activities of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in response to economic and health threats posed by invasive pests and agricultural disease. 
 
Directs the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to provide for independent scientific advice and peer review with regard to specialty crop import and export requests, including risk and mitigation assessments.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to carry out a food safety education program to reduce contamination from: (1) microbial pathogens; and (2) unsanitary handling practices.
 
Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to remove the income limitation from the environmental quality incentives program.

action_date: 2004-10-06
text: 
Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 - (Sec. 3) Defines &quot;specialty crop&quot; as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and nursery crops (including floriculture). 
 

Title I: State Assistance for Specialty Crops - 
(Sec. 101) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to make FY 2005 through 2009 State grants to enhance specialty crop competitiveness. Bases grant amounts on specialty crop production value. Sets minimum State grants at $100,000 per fiscal year. Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations.
 

Title II: Specialty Crop Advancement - 
(Sec. 201) Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations for specialty crop technical assistance under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.
 
(Sec. 202) Directs the Secretary to: (1) reduce the number of backlog permit applications for the export of agricultural commodities without diluting or diminishing existing personnel resources that are currently managing sanitary and phytosanitary issues; and (2) report annually respecting such backlog, including the number of applications and backlog applications processed to completion.
 
(Sec. 203) Directs the Secretary to report on the significant sanitary and phytosanitary issues affecting specialty crop exports.
 

Title III: Specialty Crop Research - 
(Sec. 301) Directs the Secretary to elevate the priority of methyl bromide alternative research and extension activities and reexamine the risks and benefits of extending the phase-out deadline. Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations.
 
(Sec. 302) Amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to include specialty crop research among high priority research and extension activities.
 
(Sec. 303) Amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to direct the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board to establish a permanent specialty crops committee to study the scope of research, extension, and economics programs affecting the specialty crop industry.
 

Title IV: Pest and Disease Response Fund - 
(Sec. 401) Establishes in the Treasury the Pest and Disease Response Fund. Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations.
 
(Sec. 402) Directs the Secretary to enter into an agreement with the National Plant Board for peer review of the procedures and standards of import and export requests under the Plant Protection Act, which shall address: (1) the preparation of risk assessments; and (2) the sufficiency, type, and quality of data that should be submitted to the Secretary. 
 
(Sec. 403) Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations for maintenance of the Agricultural Marketing Service inspection training center in Fredericksburg, Virginia. 

action_date: 2004-10-07
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on October 6, 2004. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 
Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 - (Sec. 3) Defines &quot;specialty crop&quot; as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and nursery crops (including floriculture). 
 

Title I: State Assistance for Specialty Crops - 
(Sec. 101) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to make FY 2005 through 2009 State grants to enhance specialty crop competitiveness. Bases grant amounts on specialty crop production value. Sets minimum State grants at $100,000 per fiscal year. Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations.
 

Title II: Specialty Crop Advancement - 
(Sec. 201) Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations for specialty crop technical assistance under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.
 
(Sec. 202) Directs the Secretary to: (1) reduce the number of backlog permit applications for the export of agricultural commodities without diluting or diminishing existing personnel resources that are currently managing sanitary and phytosanitary issues; and (2) report annually respecting such backlog, including the number of applications and backlog applications processed to completion.
 
(Sec. 203) Directs the Secretary to report on the significant sanitary and phytosanitary issues affecting specialty crop exports.
 

Title III: Specialty Crop Research - 
(Sec. 301) Directs the Secretary to elevate the priority of methyl bromide alternative research and extension activities and reexamine the risks and benefits of extending the phase-out deadline. Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations.
 
(Sec. 302) Amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to include specialty crop research among high priority research and extension activities.
 
(Sec. 303) Amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to direct the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board to establish a permanent specialty crops committee to study the scope of research, extension, and economics programs affecting the specialty crop industry.
 

Title IV: Pest and Disease Response Fund - 
(Sec. 401) Establishes in the Treasury the Pest and Disease Response Fund. Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations.
 
(Sec. 402) Directs the Secretary to enter into an agreement with the National Plant Board for peer review of the procedures and standards of import and export requests under the Plant Protection Act, which shall address: (1) the preparation of risk assessments; and (2) the sufficiency, type, and quality of data that should be submitted to the Secretary. 
 
(Sec. 403) Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations for maintenance of the Agricultural Marketing Service inspection training center in Fredericksburg, Virginia. 

action_date: 2004-12-07
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on October 6, 2004. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 
Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 - (Sec. 3) Defines &quot;specialty crop&quot; as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and nursery crops (including floriculture). 
 

Title I: State Assistance for Specialty Crops - 
(Sec. 101) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to make FY 2005 through 2009 State grants to enhance specialty crop competitiveness. Bases grant amounts on specialty crop production value. Sets minimum State grants at $100,000 per fiscal year. Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations.
 

Title II: Specialty Crop Advancement - 
(Sec. 201) Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations for specialty crop technical assistance under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.
 
(Sec. 202) Directs the Secretary to: (1) reduce the number of backlog permit applications for the export of agricultural commodities without diluting or diminishing existing personnel resources that are currently managing sanitary and phytosanitary issues; and (2) report annually respecting such backlog, including the number of applications and backlog applications processed to completion.
 
(Sec. 203) Directs the Secretary to report on the significant sanitary and phytosanitary issues affecting specialty crop exports.
 

Title III: Specialty Crop Research - 
(Sec. 301) Directs the Secretary to elevate the priority of methyl bromide alternative research and extension activities and reexamine the risks and benefits of extending the phase-out deadline. Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations.
 
(Sec. 302) Amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to include specialty crop research among high priority research and extension activities.
 
(Sec. 303) Amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to direct the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board to establish a permanent specialty crops committee to study the scope of research, extension, and economics programs affecting the specialty crop industry.
 

Title IV: Pest and Disease Response Fund - 
(Sec. 401) Establishes in the Treasury the Pest and Disease Response Fund. Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations.
 
(Sec. 402) Directs the Secretary to enter into an agreement with the National Plant Board for peer review of the procedures and standards of import and export requests under the Plant Protection Act, which shall address: (1) the preparation of risk assessments; and (2) the sufficiency, type, and quality of data that should be submitted to the Secretary. 
 
(Sec. 403) Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations for maintenance of the Agricultural Marketing Service inspection training center in Fredericksburg, Virginia. 

action_date: 2004-12-21
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on October 7, 2004. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 
Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 - (Sec. 3) Defines &quot;specialty crop&quot; as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and nursery crops (including floriculture). 
 

Title I: State Assistance for Specialty Crops - 
(Sec. 101) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to make FY 2005 through 2009 State grants to enhance specialty crop competitiveness. Bases grant amounts on specialty crop production value. Sets minimum State grants at $100,000 per fiscal year. Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations.
 

Title II: Specialty Crop Advancement - 
(Sec. 201) Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations for specialty crop technical assistance under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.
 
(Sec. 202) Directs the Secretary to: (1) reduce the number of backlog permit applications for the export of agricultural commodities without diluting or diminishing existing personnel resources that are currently managing sanitary and phytosanitary issues; and (2) report annually respecting such backlog, including the number of applications and backlog applications processed to completion.
 
(Sec. 203) Directs the Secretary to report on the significant sanitary and phytosanitary issues affecting specialty crop exports.
 

Title III: Specialty Crop Research - 
(Sec. 301) Directs the Secretary to elevate the priority of methyl bromide alternative research and extension activities and reexamine the risks and benefits of extending the phase-out deadline. Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations.
 
(Sec. 302) Amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to include specialty crop research among high priority research and extension activities.
 
(Sec. 303) Amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to direct the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board to establish a permanent specialty crops committee to study the scope of research, extension, and economics programs affecting the specialty crop industry.
 

Title IV: Pest and Disease Response Fund - 
(Sec. 401) Establishes in the Treasury the Pest and Disease Response Fund. Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations.
 
(Sec. 402) Directs the Secretary to enter into an agreement with the National Plant Board for peer review of the procedures and standards of import and export requests under the Plant Protection Act, which shall address: (1) the preparation of risk assessments; and (2) the sufficiency, type, and quality of data that should be submitted to the Secretary. 
 
(Sec. 403) Authorizes FY 2005 through 2009 appropriations for maintenance of the Agricultural Marketing Service inspection training center in Fredericksburg, Virginia. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-12-21
text: Became Public Law No: 108-465.
action_date: 2004-12-21
text: Became Public Law No: 108-465.
action_date: 2004-12-21
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2004-12-21
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2004-12-10
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2004-12-10
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2004-12-07
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2004-12-07
text: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S11879)
action_date: 2004-12-07
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S11879)
action_date: 2004-10-07
text: Received in the Senate, read twice.
action_date: 2004-10-07
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2004-10-07
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H8377-8379)
action_date: 2004-10-07
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H8377-8379)
action_date: 2004-10-07
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3242.
action_date: 2004-10-07
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8377-8382)
action_date: 2004-10-07
text: Mr. Ose moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2004-10-06
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 467.
action_date: 2004-10-06
text: Committee on Ways and Means discharged.
action_date: 2004-10-06
text: Committee on Ways and Means discharged.
action_date: 2004-10-06
text: House Committee on Ways and Means Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Oct. 6, 2004.
action_date: 2004-10-06
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Agriculture. H. Rept. 108-750, Part I.
action_date: 2004-10-06
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Agriculture. H. Rept. 108-750, Part I.
action_date: 2004-09-30
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended).
action_date: 2004-09-30
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2004-09-30
text: Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture Discharged.
action_date: 2003-10-15
text: Executive Comment Requested from USDA.
action_date: 2003-10-15
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture.
action_date: 2003-10-12
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
action_date: 2003-10-02
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-10-02
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-10-02
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-10-02
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-10-02
text: Introduced in House

Enacted as: number: 108-465