05/30/08 Farm bill, grain

Idaho grain producers were able to maintain the commodity title in the newly passed farm bill and that's an important safety net should wheat and barley prices tumble. Idaho Grain Producers executive director Travis Jones says the fundamentals that are important to the state are included in the new farm bill. JONES "A lot of growers that had gotten into the Conservation Security Program or CSP as it's called wanted to see some streamlined administration of that program. We did see some of that. You know increased some of the target price and loan rate portions of the wheat and barley price structure. And then of course we were able to maintain direct payments as something that growers can get assurance from." Jones says the renewable energy provisions in the farm bill should benefit Idaho. JONES "You know Idaho grain producers are poised soon hopefully to be a major contributor to renewable energy and bio-based fuels when it comes to using straw, wheat and barley straw, to make ethanol." It seems like it took forever but Congress finally passed and then overrode a presidential veto to give American agriculture a bill that it could have in place for the next five years. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott