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House Ag Committee hearing on specialty crop technology and innovation

The House Ag Committee’s latest Farm Bill hearing focused on the role of technology and innovation in specialty crop production.

Chairman Mike Conaway opened the discussion Wednesday morning by highlighting current federal programs and expressed his desire to maintain advancements and address improvements.

Ranking Member Collin Peterson says the U.S. special crop industry is in a very unique position.

“Consumer demand is increasing, but natural resources remain fixed, and the labor supply is shrinking.  It seems to me that the key to being successful will be through the wise use of technology and the optimum regulatory structure that allows innovation to flourish.”

Wonderful Citrus vice president Paul Heller was among those testifying at the hearing, saying their west Texas operation is using technology in many ways.

“For instance, we are currently piloting technology that grades the amount of decay that is present on individual pieces of fruit.  We have also started using high-resolution surveys of our orchards to account for missing trees, and are looking at ways to advance that technology to conduct surveys for pests and disease.”

California Farm Bureau president Paul Wenger also testified, asking Congress to increase investment in specialty crop research, plant breeding, mechanical engineering and broadband.