Eric Lauritzen, Monterey County agricultural commissioner, was doing the happy dance last week, inspired by a little something known informally as the farm bill.

Actually, the Food, Energy and Conservation Act of 2008 is a big something, to the tune of $286 billion over five years.

Here’s why Lauritzen was so stoked: For the first time in its history, the farm bill “recognizes” so-called specialty crops– fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and nursery crops– not just the commodities corn, wheat, soybeans, cotton and rice that typically garner the lion’s share of attention, protection, and above all, federal money.

Specialty crops cover just about everything grown in Monterey County– strawberries, artichokes, lettuce, broccoli, radicchio– and the new farm bill means there will be federal support for those crops.

“It is a fundamental shift,” Lauritzen said, compared with past farm bills. “California is the largest specialty crop-producing state in the nation. This is a big, big farm bill for California, and ultimately for Monterey County.”

The bill provides $224 million over five years in federal block grants, administered by the state, to help specialty-crop producers across the country do research and market and promote their products.

“IT IS A FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT.”

One thing Lauritzen hopes this means for county residents is that prices will stay reasonable and quality and quantity will remain high, so production doesn’t go to Mexico and China.

“I think it is critically important to keep food produced locally,” Lauritzen said, noting that last year, the county’s $3.8 billion in crops equaled about 10 percent of the state’s total.

Why should you care? Well, in a county where farmers markets are hugely popular, local produce is plentiful year round, and an increasing number of people are concerned about their health and eating well, this means safer food and the acknowledgement from the federal government that man does not live by wheat (or corn) alone. For the first time, for instance, the bill emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables in school lunches and other government food programs throughout the country. Pretty radical stuff.

“That is great for the Salinas Valley,” said Rep. Sam Farr (D-Carmel), who sits on the House Appropriations Committee. “It opens a whole new market for us for sales.”

And in a larger community sense, the bill helps preserve open space by maintaining land for agricultural uses and not allowing it to be plowed under for development.

“It is part of the quality of life for the Salinas Valley to keep [the land] healthy, clean and sustainable,” Farr said. “It helps the Salinas Valley do what it does best, keeps us in open space, helps us grow healthier bodies, and provides good-paying jobs and provides for expansion of [selling] fruits and vegetables.”

The House and Senate passed the bill, President Bush vetoed it and Congress overrode the veto. Lawmakers then discovered a section on international food aid was missing. Both chambers again passed the entire bill. Bush is expected to veto it once more, and Congress plans an override.

Beyond the obvious change of direction in the standard support for commodities, the bill earmarks $230 million for a “specialty crop research initiative,” controlled by the federal government. It mandates that at least 10 percent of the money be set aside for fresh produce safety grants, something of keen interest to the county given past issues with E.coli and spinach, and concerns about the use of the pesticide methyl bromide on strawberries.

These are “hot-button” issues, Farr said, and the bill acknowledges their importance.

In addition, the bill includes another section of particular interest to the county and state, in view of the ongoing light brown apple moth spraying controversy: $377 million over 10 years for early pest-detection surveillance and management. Lauritzen and other ag commissioners worked with lawmakers on some of the language for the bill.

Keeping a handle on invasive pets is crucial to states with ports, like California, that import vast quantities of food.

Yes, the bill still includes subsidies to farmers who produce commodities, and pays farmers not to farm. But at least in its recognition of fruits and vegetables, the bill is a step in the right direction.

“It’s a start, and that is exactly how we need to go,” said April England-Mackie, chairwoman of the Central Coast Young Farmers and Ranchers. “We [specialty crop farmers] have gone years and years without any help.”

She is excited about the opportunity for more research. And she hopes young people who want to be farmers will take advantage of any help the bill provides to realize their dreams.

It would seem the county is in a bit of the catbird seat.

“We happen to grow what all the nutritionists tell you you should eat,” Farr said.