Coalition for Specialty Crop Innovation Applauds Bipartisan House Tax Bill to Boost Innovation in U.S. Agriculture

New Coalition Calls for Swift Passage of the Supporting Innovation in Agriculture Act

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, March 7, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Coalition for Specialty Crop Innovation celebrates the bipartisan introduction of the Supporting Innovation in Agriculture Act in the U.S. House of Representatives by Ways & Means Tax Subcommittee Chairman Mike Kelly (R-PA-16) and Ranking Member Mike Thompson (D-CA-04) along with Representatives Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), Max Miller (R-OH-07), Dwight Evans (D-PA-03), David Valadao (R-CA-22), Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05), Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24), Josh Harder (D-CA-09), Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01), Josh Riley (D-NY-19), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-01), Janelle Bynum (D-OR-05) and Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06).

“The Coalition for Specialty Crop Innovation applauds Chairman Mike Kelly and Ranking Member Mike Thompson for their leadership and welcomes the introduction of the bipartisan Supporting Innovation in Agriculture Act,” said Colin O’Neil, Managing Director of the Coalition for Specialty Crop Innovation. "From Pennsylvania to California, Missouri to Massachusetts, innovative technologies will be essential for America’s specialty crop producers—helping to make farm operations more resilient, more sustainable, and ultimately more competitive on the global stage."

The Supporting Innovation in Agriculture Act would fill an important policy gap for the diverse domestic specialty crop industry by creating a new federal investment tax credit (ITC) to accelerate the deployment of innovative farming technologies for specialty crop growers.

The bill has received the endorsement from more than 50 leading organizations and trade associations including the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, the International Fresh Produce Association, FMI – The Food Industry Association, Agricultural Retailers Association, the CEA Alliance and farm group that represent growers of almonds, blueberries, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, prunes, sweet potatoes, strawberries, watermelons, wine grapes and other fruits and vegetables.

The bill has also received support from more than 30 state agriculture secretaries and commissioners including Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, for the third year in a row the U.S. is projected to run the largest agricultural trade deficit in modern history, driven in large part by increased consumer demand for specialty crops. In addition to rising food imports, the resilience of the fresh food supply chain is threatened by more extreme weather and drought conditions, worsening pest and disease pressures, rising input costs and inflationary pressures, and the repercussions of labor shortages.

“The Supporting Innovation in Agriculture Act would be a game-changer for the diverse domestic specialty crop industry and a win for farmers across the country,” added O’Neil. “With tax policy on the agenda in 2025, this bill should be a priority in any comprehensive tax package or reconciliation bill.”

Read the press release from Chairman Kelly and Ranking Member Thompson here.

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About the Coalition for Specialty Crop Innovation
The Coalition for Specialty Crop Innovation is a united voice for specialty crop growers, trade associations, food and farm businesses, and organizations committed to supporting the deployment of cutting-edge technologies for U.S. specialty crop growers through the passage of the Supporting Innovation in Agriculture Act.

For more information or to inquire about becoming a member of the coalition, please visit www.specialtycropalliance.com

Colin O'Neil
Coalition for Specialty Crop Innovation
info@specialtycropinnovation.com
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