The U.S. House Agriculture Committee’s full markup of the 2024 Farm Bill includes several wins for Florida’s specialty crop producers thanks to efforts led by U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL).
“Knowing the tremendous pressures our agriculture community has been under in the Sunshine State, it was said all along that Florida had both the most to lose and the most to gain in this bill and I am so glad that we came out on the favorable side of that equation,” Rep. Cammack said after the committee voted 33-21 to pass what is officially known as the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, H.R. 8467.
The bill “is the culmination of a lot of hard work and listening to producers from around the country,” said Rep. Cammack. “The crafting of this bill has been no easy endeavor, and we still have a long way to go in getting this across the finish line. However, to secure so many critical wins in this base text for Florida farmers, ranchers, and producers is a big relief.”
During the markup, the congresswoman lauded the bill’s provisions that will support Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and producers, such as the establishment of a specialty crop committee, funding for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, and additional funding for specialty crop mechanization and automation research.
If enacted, H.R. 8467 would include the standing block grant authority for specialty crops, which stems from one of Rep. Cammack’s leading legislative initiatives before the House Agriculture Committee. And for agricultural labor, she helped secure a groundbreaking program in the bill for precision agriculture that would improve practices and accessibility for producers.
Among other provisions beneficial to Florida, the Livestock Indemnity Program also would be updated within H.R. 8467 to increase the payment rate to 100 percent of the fair market value of the animal, a provision Rep. Cammack said supports Florida’s ranchers.
“We are looking forward to the next steps of bringing this bill to the House floor for a full vote and, ultimately, to the president’s desk” to be signed into law, she said.