A word to the wise on direct payments from the Agriculture Secretary

Farm and Ranch February 18, 2009 When he spoke last week to the joint board of directors meeting of the National Association of Wheat Growers and U.S. Wheat Associates, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the future of direct payments will not be an easy future. Vilsack: “My challenge I guess is if it looks to me as if direct payments will at some point in time, some point in time, I don‘t know if it will be next year, five years from now or ten years from now, at some point in time have a limited future, what is substitute? What is the alternative? And I would suggest you should think very strongly, very strongly about using climate change as a way of dealing with this. It is a lot easier to explain to that man on the street that you are getting a payment not because you are a farmer, not because people like cheap food but because you are doing something for the climate. It is easier. It is just politically easier to explain that.� Vilsack said challenges to direct payments include people around the world who question the system from a trade perspective, significant members of congress who believe they unfairly distort opportunities for family farms and finally, the direct payment was only supposed to be a temporary transition payment, which has taken on a life of its own. Vilsack: “Word to the wise I guess. I think you have to figure out a different way because it is coming. Sooner or later it’s coming.� I’m Bob Hoff and that’s the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.