Book Description

A new report shows that federal policies impede farmers' ability to make fruits and vegetables more widely available and affordable. The report provides policy recommendations to help farmers to grow and distribute fruits and vegetables and emphasizes that many of the recommended changes could be made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture without the need for additional direction from Congress. However, if such policy amendments do not occur, action in the next Farm Bill may be required. The report recommends the government provide crop insurance for fruits and vegetables and disaster assistance coverage equivalent to that provided for farmers who grow non-perishable commodities; explore policy changes enabling farmers participating in the commodity programs to use program acres for planting fruits and vegetables; and encourages farmers, public health leaders and consumer advocates to identify ways to increase demand for fruits and vegetables in order to keep pace with increases in supply.