Farm Bill Primer: Horticulture Title Provisions
March 29, 2017
Farm Bill Primer: Horticulture Title Provisions
Industry Overview
Selected “Horticultural” (Title X)
The “Horticulture” title of the 2014 farm bill (P.L. 113-79,
Provisions in the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-
Title X) covers a diverse set of agricultural producers,
79)
including specialty crops, certified organic agriculture, and
Grants for Specialty Crops to States/Territories.
local and regional foods. These sectors have long argued
Specialty Crop Block Grant program (§10010).
that their industries should occupy a larger role in farm bill
policy discussions and that benefits supporting major
Plant Pest and Disease Detection/Surveillance.
commodity producers should be extended to these
Plant Pest and Disease Prevention Program (§10007).
producers in order to create a broader, more equitable farm
Grants for Local Foods/Farmers’ Markets. Farmer’s
bill. Producers in these sectors are not eligible for the U.S.
Market and Local Food Promotion Program (§10003).
Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) commodity revenue
Organic Certification Cost Sharing. National
support programs, but they are eligible for other types of
Organic Certification Cost-Share Program (§10004(d)-
USDA programs and support throughout several farm bill
(f)).
titles. These include, but are not limited to, programs in the
AMS National Organic Program (NOP). Regulatory
nutrition, conservation, research, crop insurance, disaster
and oversight program (§10004(b), §10005).
assistance, rural development, and trade titles. Other federal
agencies also play important roles in these sectors.
AMS Data Collection. Specialty Crops Market News
Allocations (§10001), Organic Production and Market
Specialty crops—defined as “fruits and vegetables, tree
Data Initiatives (ODI) (§10004(c)), and production and
nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops
marketing of local/regional agricultural foods (§10016).
(including floriculture)”—comprise a major part of U.S.
Selected Provisions in Other Titles
agriculture. USDA reports that retail sales of fresh and
processed fruits and vegetables for at-home consumption
Trade title. Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops
total nearly $100 billion annually. In 2012, about 244,000
(TASC) (§3205); Market Access Program (MAP) (§3102).
farming operations grew more than 350 types of fruit,
Nutrition title. Fresh Fruit and Vegetable (“Snack”)
vegetable, tree nut, flower, nursery, and other horticultural
Program (§4201); Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive
crops. Production is concentrated in California, Florida,
program (§4208); Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition
Washington, Oregon, North Dakota, and Michigan.
Program (§4203); Healthy Food Financing Initiative
(§4206).
Agricultural products certified as “USDA organic” account
Research title. Specialty Crop Research Initiative
for a small but growing share of the U.S. farming sector. At
(SCRI) including emergency citrus disease research
the retail level, U.S. organic sales totaled $43.3 billion in
(§7103, §7306); Organic Agriculture Research and
2015, representing roughly 5% of all food sales in the
Extension Initiative (§7211); Organic Transitions (ORG)
United States. Leading organic commodities include milk,
(§7302);
eggs, broiler chickens, lettuce, apples, meat products,
Conservation title. EQIP Organic Initiative (§2202)
grapes, corn for grain, hay, and spinach. In 2014, there were
more than 14,000 organic farms and ranches, covering a
Rural Development title. Value-Added Grants
total of 3.7 million acres, or about 1% of total U.S.
(§6203).
cropland. Production is concentrated in California, Florida,
Washington, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Texas, and Wisconsin.
Existing Farm Bill Provisions
Finally, a range of farm businesses are considered to be
The 2008 farm bill expanded support and funding for
engaged in local food production. There is no established
existing specialty crop and organic programs and created
definition of what constitutes a “local food,” but generally it
incentives for producers under a new title, “Horticulture
refers to agricultural production and marketing that occurs
and Organic Agriculture.” The 2014 farm bill reauthorized
within a certain geographic proximity (between farmer and
many of the existing farm bill provisions but also increased
consumer) or that involves certain social or supply chain
spending on “Horticulture” title programs. These programs
characteristics in producing food (such as small family
are mostly administered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing
farms, urban gardens, or farms using sustainable farming
Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
practices). Sales of locally produced foods comprise a small
The text box above provides a list of selected programs.
but growing part of U.S. agricultural sales. USDA reports
that local food sales totaled an estimated $6.1 billion in
When the 2014 farm bill was enacted, the Congressional
2012, reflecting sales from nearly 164,000 farmers selling
Budget Office estimated that mandatory outlays for
locally marketed foods. This represents 8% of U.S. farms
programs authorized in the horticulture title would increase
and 1.5% of the value of U.S. agricultural production.
$340 million over the next five years (FY2014-FY2018)
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Farm Bill Primer: Horticulture Title Provisions
compared with the previous five-year period. Despite this
recommended maintaining funding for USDA’s export
increase, funding under this title still comprises a small
promotion programs (such as MAP and TASC). They also
share—less than one-half of 1%—of total mandatory farm
recommended that certain conservation programs be
bill spending. Across all farm bill titles, mandatory
expanded to assist specialty crop producers and that
spending for specialty crops, organic agriculture, and local
adjusted gross income limitations not apply to conservation
food systems was expected to average about $770 million
programs. Others recommended continued funding for the
annually (FY2014-FY2018). Key programs include the
Value-Added Producer Grant Program and other changes to
Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, the Specialty Crop
rural development programs affecting farmworkers.
Research Initiative (SCRI), pest and disease prevention
programs (i.e., the so-called Section 10007 program), and
Farm bill recommendations promoted by the organic
nutrition programs targeting fruits and vegetables. The 2014
industry that could resurface in the next farm bill are
farm bill also provided for an increase of roughly $300
focused on existing programs, including funding for the
million in average annual appropriations across related
National Organic Program and the National Organic
programs.
Certification Cost-Share Program and support for research
under the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension
In general, the types of programs in which many of these
Initiative and the Organic Transitions Integrated Research
sectors share a common interest are USDA marketing and
Program. Other priorities have included improving organic
promotion programs (including rural development
producers’ access to USDA conservation programs and
programs), domestic food and nutrition programs, research
crop insurance and addressing certain marketing issues,
and cooperative extension programs, and conservation
such as organic data collection at USDA and potential
programs, among others. Although USDA has historically
losses associated with contamination of organic crops from
not provided direct support for specialty crops and organic
genetically engineered crops.
production, over the decades Congress has authorized a
wide range of programs in these areas to facilitate growth
Many of the farm bill programs supporting specialty crops
and benefit the economic health of these and related sectors.
and organic agriculture are also supported by organizations
promoting local and regional food systems. Some of the
Issues and Options
leading programs for local food producers also include the
Despite some shared program interests and a shared farm
Farmers Market and Local Food promotion programs, the
bill title, there are often significant differences between
Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, and also related
U.S. specialty crop and organic producers in terms of their
policies and incentives under the Supplemental Nutrition
overall farm bill priorities and in the types of key farm bill
Assistance Program, such as the Food Insecurity Nutrition
programs each group supports. The U.S. horticulture sector
Incentives, support for Community Food Projects, and
is among the most diverse of U.S. farm sector groups, with
farm-to-school provisions. These groups also generally
advocates spanning a wide range of policy priorities. The
promote several rural development programs, including the
certified organic and the local foods sectors are even more
Rural Micro-Entrepreneur Assistance Program. They also
diverse, with wide-ranging priorities. Given the perception
promote grant and loan programs that broadly support
of the importance of fruits and vegetables within many
strategic regional community and economic development as
varied policy arenas, including child nutrition and wellness,
well as beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and
and continued calls for enhanced equity across farm sectors,
ranchers.
the specialty crop industry is expected to call for continued
expansion of these existing programs. Continued growth in
In anticipation of the 2018 farm bill reauthorization, the
both consumer demand and producer investment in the
ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee,
certified organic and locally produced food sectors is also
Senator Debbie Stabenow, introduced the Urban
likely to drive calls for increasing support for these markets
Agriculture Act of 2016 (S. 3420) in the 114th Congress.
within USDA and at the state/local levels. Such expansion
This bill proposed to expand existing farm programs and
proposals may draw resistance from more traditional
funding and fund new programs and incentives to promote
agricultural producers and from more established program
urban agriculture by expanding provisions in several titles
recipients within the fruit and vegetable sectors due to
throughout the farm bill. The bill proposed to expand
competition for limited funds.
support for competitive grants and research initiatives
supporting urban farming and expand risk management
Previously, farm bill recommendations by specialty crop
tools, among other provisions. When this bill was
interest groups (as well as some leading state agencies, such
introduced, it was widely noted as being intended to
as in California) spanned most farm bill titles. Most groups
become part of a 2018 farm bill and could be reintroduced
supported maintaining funding for each of the primary
in the 115th Congress.
nutrition programs—such as the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable
(Snack) Program, minimum purchase requirements under
Related CRS Reports
the Section 32 program, and the DoD Fresh program—and
also called for changes to improve the nutritional status of
CRS Report R43632, Specialty Crop Provisions in the 2014
Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79)
U.S. food stamp recipients. They also recommended
expanded funding for block grants, plant pest and disease
CRS Report RL32746, Fruits, Vegetables, and Other
programs, research programs (such as SCRI), and disaster
Specialty Crops: A Primer on Government Programs
assistance (including raising payment limitations on tree
CRS Report R43950, Local Food Systems: Selected Farm Bill
replacement). Within export promotion, these groups
and Other Federal Programs
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Farm Bill Primer: Horticulture Title Provisions
IF10624
Renée Johnson, Specialist in Agricultural Policy
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