To appropriate funds for the provision of emergency financial assistance to producers and first handlers of fresh tomatoes for losses incurred as a result of the removal of fresh tomatoes and products containing fresh tomatoes from the market and other actions undertaken in response to a public health advisory regarding tomatoes issued by the Food and Drug Administration in June 2008.

Appropriates funds to the Secretary of Agriculture for payments to growers and first handlers of fresh tomatoes that experienced crop and/or market losses resulting from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Public Health Advisory issued on June 7, 2008.

Limits payments to not more than 75% of the greater of: (1) the value of the unmarketed tomatoes; and (2) the actual loss incurred by the grower or handler.

[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H.R. 6581 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6581

     To appropriate funds for the provision of emergency financial 
assistance to producers and first handlers of fresh tomatoes for losses 
  incurred as a result of the removal of fresh tomatoes and products 
containing fresh tomatoes from the market and other actions undertaken 
 in response to a public health advisory regarding tomatoes issued by 
             the Food and Drug Administration in June 2008.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 23, 2008

 Mr. Mahoney of Florida (for himself, Mr. Boyd of Florida, Mr. Putnam, 
  and Ms. Wasserman Schultz) introduced the following bill; which was 
                referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To appropriate funds for the provision of emergency financial 
assistance to producers and first handlers of fresh tomatoes for losses 
  incurred as a result of the removal of fresh tomatoes and products 
containing fresh tomatoes from the market and other actions undertaken 
 in response to a public health advisory regarding tomatoes issued by 
             the Food and Drug Administration in June 2008.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR GROWERS AND FIRST HANDLERS OF 
              TOMATOES.

    (a) Emergency Assistance.--There is hereby appropriated to the 
Secretary of Agriculture $100,000,000, to be available until expended, 
to make payments to growers and first handlers, as defined by the 
Secretary, of fresh tomatoes that experienced crop or market losses, or 
both, as a result of the Food and Drug Administration Public Health 
Advisory issued on June 7, 2008.
    (b) Payment Amount.--The amount of the payment made to a grower or 
first handler under this section shall not exceed 75 percent of the 
greater of--
            (1) the value of the unmarketed tomatoes; and
            (2) the actual loss incurred by the grower or handler.
                                 <all>