06/26/08 Implementing the Farm Bill

Implementing the Farm Bill. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. Yesterday, USDA Ag Secretary Ed Schafer and Deputy Ag Secretary Chuck Conner held a press conference to discuss the implementation of the new farm bill. The Secretary started off by saying it was indeed a long haul. SCHAFER: I think just about everyone involved in this year's farm bill would agree that the process of getting it into law took a lot longer than anyone expected. But we pledged that once we had a new law in hand we would move as quickly as possible to implement changes in farm programs that the new law required. And that's exactly what we've done. As we all know it took two attempts to get the whole farm bill passed including the inadvertent omission of a section that covered specialty crops important to northwest producers. SCHAFER: Once it was clear what the outcome would be we moved ahead and on June 12th we announced all of our 2008 marketing loan rates. We wanted to make that program available as quickly as possible to producers who may want to use it this year. As part of the press conference, Schafer announced the kick-off of the DCP sign-up. SCHAFER: Today we're announcing sign up for direct and counter-cyclical payment program is now open. When producers sign up for the DCP, they'll immediately be eligible for a 22% advance on their direct payments. We expect these advance payments will amount to about $1-billion dollars over the next few months and checks will start going out in early July to those who sign up right away for the program. 1.5 million producers are expected to participate in the program and the Secretary said there will be an added bonus. SCHAFER: And because of the delayed passage of this year's farm bill, the late fee that normally applies to sign ups after June 1st will not be charged this year. The rules for the 2008 DCP Program are very similar for those in 2007. The '08 farm bill did however make one immediate change to the DCP program by ending payments to farms with less than 10 base acres unless they are owned by a socially disadvantaged or limited resource farmer or rancher. Unless you have made changes in your farm operating plan that affect your eligibility, you will not need to file a new plan. Also adjusted gross income compliance certifications of record will carry forward this year. More on Monday. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.