NFU: House Ag Committee Suspends 10-Acre Rule
For Immediate Release: September 19, 2008
Contact: Liz Friedlander, 202-314-3191WASHINGTON (Sept. 19, 2008) – National Farmers Union commended members of the House Agriculture Committee today for moving to temporarily suspend the 2008 Farm Bill’s 10-acre provision. The action was in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) interpretation of the provision, which would deny farm program benefits to thousands of producers Congress intended to be able to participate in commodity programs.
Despite the farm bill’s clear language, USDA informed producers they would not be allowed to aggregate acreages in order to establish total farm base acres to exceed the 10-acre limitation.
“The committee’s action was the right move to ensure producers who qualify for farm programs would be able to participate,” NFU President Tom Buis said.
The NFU Board of Directors last week called on USDA Secretary Schafer to reverse the department’s interpretation.
“The department’s interpretation will exclude a significant number of producers from participating in commodity programs that Congress clearly expected would retain program eligibility,” the NFU board said.
The Agriculture Committee’s action will suspend the 10-acre provision for the 2008 and 2009 crop years. The amendment, offered by Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., provides a temporary, less expensive solution to the situation and is fully offset in order to meet pay-as-you-go budget requirements.
With Congress only in session for one more week, Buis urged both the House and Senate to quickly pass the bill and send to the president for his signature.
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