Valley growers upset as bill excludes nuts, dried fruits

By Michael Doyle - mdoyle@mcclatchydc.com Published 12:00 am PDT Tuesday, August 19, 2008 Story appeared in BUSINESS section, Page B9 WASHINGTON – Congress dissed dried fruits and nuts in the latest farm bill, and growers are feeling ambushed. In a last-minute maneuver that is only now coming to light, farm bill authors cut out dried fruits and nuts from an ambitious school snack program. The action could slam the door on some potentially lucrative markets. "This is a real problem with the bill, excluding an entire industry," said Dan Haley, a lobbyist for California specialty crops. It also illustrates how Capitol Hill works, sometimes in the dead of night. Congress in June overcame President Bush's veto to overwhelmingly approve the new five-year farm bill. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the package of subsidies,... [read full story]