06/25/08 Quality loss benefit signup

Farmers who suffered crop disaster quality losses in 2005 through 2007 can signup now for payment benefits. Farm Service Agency deputy administrator John Johnson says this is the second part of the disaster benefit program. Last fall FSA started taking applications for crop quantity losses under the previous farm bill. JOHNSON "But also imbedded in that legislation was provisions to pay for quality losses . The quality loss provision was very complex, required very complicated software to be developed, the regulations took longer to craft. We have the quantity signup out of the way and we have paid out about 1.8 billion dollars to producers." Johnson says producers can only signup for crop losses in one of the three years available. In some cases farmers did get a normal yield per acre. JOHNSON "But you had terrible quality conditions. You had sprouted wheat or you had poor test weight, poor protein, falling numbers, some other quality concerns that really reduced the value of that crop. This signup here addresses economic losses that you incurred as a result of those quality problems." Johnson says the disaster benefits under this program fall under legislation passed in Congress last year. The new farm bill addresses disaster programs beginning with the 2008 crop year and has similar provisions through 2012. Today's Idaho Ag News