Farm Bill

82. Farm Bill

We support a Farm Bill similar to the 2002 Farm Bill that includes:

• Commodity loans.
• Direct payments.
• Specialty crop block grants.
• Payments to compensate for low commodity prices (e.g. counter-cyclical payments).
• Target prices that reflect the cost of production.
• Marketing certificates.
• The retention of a separate payment limitation for peanuts.
• The elimination of the fruit and vegetable planting prohibition.
• A producer-friendly conservation title that provides long-term benefits to growers who implement environmentally friendly practices and is open to all agricultural production.
• A permanent title for risk management and disaster programs.
• A long-term energy policy that includes provisions that benefit farmers who produce crops used for bio-fuels and the manufacturing of the same. (OVERSIGHT)

83. Payment Limitations

We support maintaining the current limitation as the minimum on all program and conservation payments. (PEANUT/COTTON)

84. Peanut Program

In respect to developing the rules and regulations to implement the new Farm Bill, we support the following:

• The $355.72 loan rate basis grade for peanuts should be the minimum net guarantee per delivered ton of farmer stock peanuts.
• All storage, handling, and other associated costs should be paid by the CCC and made available for farm-stored loans.
• The USDA should be open with the method of calculating the loan repayment rate.
• USDA/FSA, area associations and farmer owned cooperative-marketing associations should be allowed to administer the marketing assistance loans.
• The Secretary of Agriculture should allow on the farm storage loans to be available under the new Farm Bill at the growers’ discretion. (PEANUT/COTTON)

85. Producer Eligibility Determination

We support implementation of farm policy in such a manner as to minimize the disruptions to landlord-tenant relationships. We support efforts to provide the state FSA Committee authority to determine eligibility requirements for farm program benefits. (OVERSIGHT)

86. Storage and Handling Fees

In 2007 and future farm policy negotiations, priority should be placed on retaining storage and handling fees as established in the 2002 Farm Bill.

All storage, handling and other associated costs should be paid by the CCC and made available for farm-stored loans. At a minimum, priority should be given to forfeited peanuts. (PEANUT/COTTON)