By Andi Anderson
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is set to invest $100 million in the specialty crop sector to support farmers and address challenges such as labor shortages and competition from foreign markets. The investment includes $65 million for the Assisting Specialty Crop Exports (ASCE) initiative, which aims to overcome barriers unique to specialty crops exports, and $72.9 million for the Specialty Crop Block Program. The latter will fund projects in research and development, marketing, and education to benefit the specialty crop industry.
Tim Boring, the director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, sees this investment as essential for Michigan businesses to enter new markets, leading to increased demand, higher prices, and enhanced industry capacity. Grant proposals for the 2024 Specialty Crop Block program are due by February 8.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, emphasized the importance of creating markets for farmers, whether local or international, to address challenges like supply chain breakdowns, cost increases, labor shortages, and trade pressures.
USDA undersecretaries Jenny Lester Moffitt and Alexis Taylor explained that these investments are part of the larger Specialty Crop Competitiveness Initiative, aimed at supporting the domestic specialty crop industry. Specialty crops accounted for $24.6 billion in exports in fiscal year 2023, representing nearly 14% of total U.S. agricultural exports.
Ben LaCross, a second-generation grower and director on the Michigan Farm Bureau Board, highlighted the significance of labor in determining the success of the specialty crop industry. He emphasized that a guaranteed and affordable labor supply is crucial for farmers to make long-term investments in the Michigan specialty crop sector.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-mvburling
Categories: Michigan, Crops, Government & Policy