Bonamici and Valadao Lead House Companion to the Specialty Crops Reporting on Opportunities and Promotion Act
Washington, D.C. – Senate Finance Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, introduced legislation today to help farmers fight through trade barriers and sell more fruits, vegetables and other specialty crops in foreign markets. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., and Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., are leading the House companion legislation.
The Specialty Crops Reporting on Opportunities and Promotion Act (Specialty CROP Act) responds to continued high tariffs, burdensome labeling requirements, and other trade barriers that restrict U.S. products from accessing foreign markets, threatening rural communities and agricultural producers who depend on customers overseas.
“The world is hungry for grown-in-the-U.S. blueberries, potatoes, wine and other produce. But all too often our farmers and producers are stymied by unreasonable blockades in foreign markets,” Wyden said. “Our bipartisan bill will help rural Americans by identifying unfair foreign trade barriers and creating specific plans to cut through that red tape.”
“Specialty crop production is central to Idaho’s economy and our identity as a state,” Crapo said. “Idaho farmers can outgrow the world, but high tariffs and burdensome labeling requirements imposed by foreign nations threaten our rural communities and keep agricultural producers from accessing global markets. Detailed and up-to-date information from USDA and USTR will help specialty crop growers navigate foreign markets and inform congressional and presidential efforts to address trade barriers and expand export opportunities.”
The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Angus King, I-Maine, Jim Risch, R-Idaho, Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich.
“The specialty crops are a vital part of Oregon’s economy,” Bonamici said. “Unfortunately tariffs, market uncertainty, and other global factors have hit specialty crop growers hard. I’m pleased to introduce the Specialty CROP Act to improve the USDA’s existing specialty crops trade report to better improve the competitiveness of U.S. specialty crops exports.”
“Specialty crops are a cornerstone of California agriculture—especially in the Central Valley—but while our state is a top exporter, our growers have unfortunately faced many challenges over the last few years,” Valadao said. “Many of our California-grown specialty crops rely on customers overseas, but due to unfair trade practices, burdensome labeling standards, and blockades in foreign markets, it makes it difficult to stay competitive. Our specialty crop producers deserve to compete on a level playing field in the global marketplace, and this bipartisan bill would take necessary steps to identify and combat unreasonable trade barriers more effectively.”
The legislation will help farmers by making key improvements to the annual U.S. Specialty Crops Trade Issues Report, in order to more effectively identify and combat unreasonable trade barriers. It would:
- Improve the annual report with important updates to:
- Explicitly require participation and engagement from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR);
- Highlight specific trade barriers that limit the export competitiveness of specialty crops in specific markets, including tariff and non-tariff barriers;
- Include an assessment of whether each trade barrier is subject to a U.S. FTA or international agreement;
- Include specific information with respect to actions taken, or expected to be taken, by the U.S. government to address or resolve each trade barrier; and
- Require a request for comment from both the public and the Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee (ATAC) for Trade in Fruits and Vegetables.
- Require the report to be made public, while allowing for a classified annex in order to protect U.S. national security and economic strategy.
- Continue to define “specialty crop” as “fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.”
Statements of Support
“The North American Blueberry Council applauds Senators Wyden and Crapo for their continued leadership in advancing the Specialty Crops Reporting on Opportunities and Promotion (Specialty CROP) Act. As global demand for blueberries grows, persistent tariff and non-tariff barriers put U.S. producers at a competitive disadvantage. This legislation increases transparency around those barriers and identifies actionable opportunities to expand market access and strengthen the long-term competitiveness of American blueberry exports,” said Kasey Cronquist, president of the North American Blueberry Council.
“Apple, pear and cherry growers in the Pacific Northwest frequently face tariff and non-tariff trade barriers that limit exports in crucial markets. We appreciate Senators Crapo and Wyden introducing this legislation to understand these trade barriers and identify needed solutions so our growers can compete and expand their export opportunities,” said Mark Powers, president of the Northwest Horticultural Council.
“The National Potato Council thanks Senators Crapo and Wyden for their leadership in advancing the Specialty Crops Reporting on Opportunities and Promotion Act. The U.S. potato industry is heavily dependent on competitive export markets. Minimizing or eliminating both tariff and non-tariff barriers is essential to the continued economic health of our industry. We sincerely appreciate the foresight of Senators Crapo and Wyden in moving this legislation forward,” said Kam Quarles, chief executive officer of the National Potato Council.
Read the text of the legislation here.
Read a one-page summary of the bill here.
A web version of the release is here.
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