Title X: Horticulture

The Horticulture Title recognizes what some critics of U.S. farm policy fail to realize: a one-size-fits-all approach to farm policy does not work because the needs and risks of producers, commodities, and regions differ.

The purpose of the Horticulture Title is to help meet the needs of specialty crop producers, including producers of fruits, vegetables, nuts, nursery plants, as well as organic farming operations.

According to USDA, sales of specialty crops account for nearly one-third of U.S. crop cash receipts and one-fifth of U.S. agricultural exports.

Although Federal Crop Insurance is available to most specialty crop farmers and there are also other tools available to assist producers of specialty crops – including marketing orders, trade promotion programs such as the Market Access Program and the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program, and purchase programs for school meals – the Horticulture Title provides additional focus.

The Horticulture Title includes a local agricultural market program, an organic certification program as well as other organic initiatives, specialty crop block grants, technical assistance programs, and help to address pests and diseases.

“Our farmers are looking to sell their products across the ocean. But they’re also looking to sell their products across the country, across the state, and across the street. When our growers can get their apples on lunch trays at the local elementary school … or sell tomatoes to their neighbors at the Saturday morning farmers market … that puts more money in their pockets and keeps it in the local community. Farm Bill trade promotion programs, international food aid, bioeconomy programs, local foods programs – all of these increase market opportunities for our nation’s farmers to be successful.”
Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry