Corn, soy, canola growers propose two-year extension
November 27, 2013 | 05:54 PM
The National Corn Growers Association, the American Soybean Association and the U.S. Canola Association wrote congressional farm leaders on Tuesday that if they do not reach agreement on a commodity title proposal that avoids linking payments to current-year acres, they would oppose the farm bill and support an extension of the 2008 farm bill even if it means a reduction in direct payments.
The three groups noted that last week they proposed a compromise that would use a rolling average of recent-year plantings to determine base acres under both revenue and price-based programs.
“We very much hope that conferees on the farm bill will find common ground that can be supported by producers of all crops in all regions of the country,” the letter said.
“If such a resolution is not possible, we would support a two-year extension of the 2008 farm bill including, if necessary, a reduction in direct payments to achieve savings equivalent to the bills passed by both the Senate and the House. While difficult, this approach would leave sufficient funding in the commodities title to write a new farm program at such time as consensus can be achieved.”
The three groups noted that last week they proposed a compromise that would use a rolling average of recent-year plantings to determine base acres under both revenue and price-based programs.
“We very much hope that conferees on the farm bill will find common ground that can be supported by producers of all crops in all regions of the country,” the letter said.
“If such a resolution is not possible, we would support a two-year extension of the 2008 farm bill including, if necessary, a reduction in direct payments to achieve savings equivalent to the bills passed by both the Senate and the House. While difficult, this approach would leave sufficient funding in the commodities title to write a new farm program at such time as consensus can be achieved.”
