House members ask Perdue to help specialty crop producers

A bipartisan coalition of 108 House members today wrote Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue calling for the Trump administration to provide direct support to specialty crop producers as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is implemented.

Reps. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., Fred Upton, R-Mich., Jim Costa, D-Calif. and Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., spearheaded the letter.

In the letter, the members urged Perdue to purchase specialty crops, make direct payments to producers and be flexible in the use of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) in light of the unprecedented consequences of COVID-19.