11/30/07 House and Senate treatment of the "planting prohibition"

Farm and Ranch November 29, 2007 When Congress finally completes work on a 2007 Farm Bill it is pretty certain the legislation will include benefits for specialty crops. Not direct subsidies like program crops get, but funding for marketing, research and pest prevention and detection. It's the recognition the specialty crop industry has sought. One thing the specialty crop industry wants to preserve from past farm policy is the planting prohibition. That generally prohibits program crop producers from planting specialty crops on their subsidized program crop acres. John Keeling, CEO of the National Potato Council, says the House passed farm bill and the Senate Ag Committee passed bill, do some tweaking of the planting prohibition. Keeling: "The House tweaked it a little bit. They allowed some planting of processed tomatoes in Indiana. The Senate tweaked it a little bit. They let some of the people participating in the Average Revenue Program be able to grow some fruit and vegetables. So it remains to be seen as we move through conference. Our goal is just to be sure it is a basic equity issue. The man who is competing only for the market shouldn't be competing directly with the guy who receives a level of government support. Congress reconvenes Monday and has just three short weeks to get an acceptable farm bill through the Senate, a conference committee and to the President's desk. That's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today! Good health tomorrow! I'm Bob Hoff on the Northwest Ag Information Network.