Language from Curbelo bill on providing relief to farmers included in committee-approved spending bill

U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) successfully added language providing relief to fruit farmers impacted by a federal quarantine into a bill that was reported favorably by the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday.

Language that outlines relief for farmers impacted by an Oriental fruit fly quarantine is included in the fiscal year 2017 agriculture appropriations bill.

“I wholeheartedly support the inclusion of language in the FY17 House Agriculture Appropriations Committee Report that ‘strongly urges the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to make funds available to those farmers who were aggrieved by an Oriental fruit fly quarantine from October 2015 through February 2016,’” Curbelo said.

Oriental fruit flies were discovered in Dade County, Fla., in August. As a result, a quarantine was imposed on 98 square miles through February.

“The farmers, who were unable to bring their crop to market, sustained devastating losses, although the quarantine was necessary and successful in eradicating the Oriental fruit fly pest,” the committee report said. “Because crop insurance and other similar programs do not apply in stances of a state or federally declared quarantine, the impacted farmers are in need of relief.”

Curbelo led legislative efforts to bring relief to Florida fruit farmers by introducing a bipartisan bill, H.R. 4226, with U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham (D-FL) in December.

“I sincerely appreciate my bipartisan Florida colleagues in supporting the request to include this important language that could directly benefit South Florida farmers impacted by the quarantine,” Curbelo said. “It is imperative that they are able to receive any available relief from the FSA. As the House Appropriations Committee marks up bills for FY17, I encourage the continued support for our South Florida farmers and thank Agriculture Chairman Robert Aderholt and Ranking Member Sam Farr in including relief for farmers impacted by the Oriental fruit fly. It is my hope this bill can quickly be considered on the House floor.”