Should South Carolina be Represented on the Peanut Standards Board? (H.R. 2521)

What is H.R. 2521?

(Updated August 17, 2018)

This bill — known as the South Carolina Peanut Parity Act of 2017 — would add South Carolina to the Virginia / Carolina peanut producing region for the purpose of appointing members of the Peanut Standards Board. Under current law South Carolina isn’t represented on the board, as the region includes Virginia and North Carolina. The Peanut Standards Board advises the Dept. of Agriculture on quality and handling standards for domestically produced and imported peanuts, and is divided into three regions: southwest (Texas, Oklahoma & New Mexico), southeast (Alabama, Florida & Georgia), and Virginia / North Carolina.

Argument in favor

South Carolina is among the largest peanut producing states in the union and should be represented on the Dept. of Agriculture’s Peanut Standards Board instead of excluded from the board altogether. It makes sense to be included in the board’s Virginia / Carolina region.

Argument opposed

There’s really no need for South Carolina to be represented on the Peanut Standards Board, its peanut farmers’ interests will be represented by their neighbors in North Carolina and Georgia who have seats on the board.

Impact

South Carolina peanut farmers; the Peanut Standards Board; and the Dept. of Agriculture.

Cost of H.R. 2521

The CBO estimates that enacting this bill would have no impact on the federal budget.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Joe WIlson (R-SC) introduced this bill to give South Carolina representation on the Dept. of Agriculture’s Peanut Standards Board:

“Since the Peanut Standards Board was created in 2002, South Carolina’s peanut farmers have been without a voice in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, despite being the nation’s fourth largest peanut-producing state. This legislation would rectify an imbalance on the Peanut Standards Board and support South Carolina peanut farmers. Peanuts are so appreciated in South Carolina that the state legislature designated the boiled peanut as the state’s official snack.”

This legislation passed the House Agriculture Committee on a voice vote and is cosponsored by six bipartisan cosponsors, all of whom represent districts in South Carolina.

According to the National Peanut Board, South Carolina is the fifth largest peanut producer in the country, responsible for about eight percent of the national crop. That places it behind Georgia (over 46%), Florida (nearly 13%), Alabama (nearly 11%), and Texas (nearly 9%) and ahead of North Carolina (about 7%).

Media:

• Sponsoring Rep. Joe WIlson (R-SC) Press Release
  
• CBO Cost Estimate
  
• Free Times