Farm Bureau Sends Farm Bill Ideas to House, Senate Ag Panels

Farm policy changes for the next farm bill, including shifts to commodity and other programs, have been sent to leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).The group's proposals emerged from AFBF's Board of Directors, the group said, calling them "grass-roots" policy options. "These recommendations are not set in stone; rather, they are designed to provide the necessary flexibility to ensure that Farm Bureau is prepared to work with you in achieving the best possible farm bill that meets our key farm policy objectives while assisting you in meeting the challenges this important legislation will endure," the group said.Among changes AFBF included:ARC program option. The proposals include allowing farmers enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) program to choose between having yields calculated on a simple 10-year average or a five-year Olympic average. The five-year Olympic average, which drops the high and low years, is now the only option. The Farm Bureau also wants to raise ARC reference prices by 5% for corn, soybeans, wheat, sorghum and so-called minor crops.Margin Protection Program (MPP) for Dairy: The group suggests changes to MPP, including a 25 percent cut to premium rates for the first 4 million pounds of production history and a corresponding 25% increase in premiums for production above that amount. The group also wants to change minimum and maximum coverage levels and increase the feed ration formula for all producers by 10%.Cotton: Farm Bureau said it supports making either or both cottonseed and cotton fiber eligible for commodity program support.Costs will be key. The group acknowledged a key point in advocating the above changes – the changes they are suggesting will be "above the baseline with which you will have to work."Conservation Reserve Program (CRP): While addressing comments from some that CRP payments have become excessive in some states, Farm Bureau does not support increasing the current 24-million-acre cap on CRP or creating a new program that would allow for short-term contracts, as proposed by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D. They also oppose allowing the same parcel of land to be re-enrolled in the general CRP after the conclusion of two contracts.