Organic Fallout & Assistance Program Sign-ups

Organic Fallout & Assistance Program Sign-ups plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

The latest round of Average Crop Revenue, Direct and Countercyclical Programs and Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program sign-ups are currently taking place according to FSA Administrator Juan Garcia.

GARCIA: Enrollment for the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program, commonly called SURE, that provides for assistance for losses in 2011 ends on June the 7th. It’s a compliment to crop insurance. One of the eligibility requirements to receive payments is that they did have some type of crop insurance or coverage through the non-insured assistance program that we offer.

Tensions over the organic/traditional farming debate have been very apparent. While organics are gaining footholds in D.C., they are not going over with everyone. Former organic farmer, now Oregon Rep. Kurt Schrader, recently offered an amendment to make it easier for organic companies to organize industrywide promotional campaigns which was met with strong opposition by some farm-state Republicans. One Congressman said he was concerned over organics lack of respect for traditional agriculture.

Now with today’s Food Forethought, here’s Lacy Gray.

The House Ag Committee’s version of the farm bill that passed last week includes the “Protect Interstate Commerce Act”, which would bar states from imposing their own animal-welfare standards on agriculture products brought in from other states. Introduced by Iowa Representative Steve King, the amendment’s main goal is to prevent farmers in other states from having to comply with such measures as California’s Proposition 2 initiative, which requires more space for chickens and other livestock. The amendment met with some strong opposition, and a rather spirited and lengthy debate ensued, but in the end remained intact. The “Protect Interstate Commerce Act” holds great interest for all producers involved in animal agriculture. Representatives of the HSUS, which was instrumental in getting California’s Proposition 2 passed, complain that the measure is “unconstitutional” and could more than likely nullify any state laws designed to protect farm animals. King states the amendment “will ensure that radical organizations like the HSUS and PETA are prohibited from establishing a patchwork of restrictive state laws aimed at slowly suffocating production agriculture out of existence.”

Thanks Lacy. That’s today’s Northwest Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.