Posted April 7, 2014
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack recently released
a progress report for the implementation of the farm bill including several
implementation dates for programs, according to an Agri-Pulse article available
here. A USDA new release is available here.
Vilsack said, “We are making tremendous progress
implementing the new Farm Bill.”
USDA has made disaster assistance programs for farmers
and ranchers a “top priority and quick implementation on relief programs is
within sight.” Beginning on April 15,
producers will be able to enroll in the Livestock Indemnity Program and the
Livestock Forage Disaster Program.
Implementation dates for Commodity Title programs are
not definite, but Vilsack said he expects “everything in place” for the Price
Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) program by the fall.
Vilsack said that some crop insurance provisions, “like
conservation compliance rules, may be delayed until 2015.”
The progress report also includes dates for loan rates,
the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program
(FMD), and many other programs. The complete
progress report is available here.
Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), House Agriculture
Committee Ranking member, said “passing the farm bill was almost a miracle,”
and “hopefully implementation will be a lot easier.”
Several members expressed concern over the
Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal to define its jurisdiction
over “waters of the United States.”
In response, Vilsack said that the EPA proposal
reaffirms permitting exemptions for agriculture, “including agricultural discharges,
maintenance of drains and ditches, wastewater treatment and artificial ponds.” He also noted that the EPA identified 56
conservation practices used in agriculture that would no longer require a
permit.
USDA launched a website
to provide details on farm bill implementation.
In addition, USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) has launched a website
highlighting the economic implications of new programs and provisions.
For more information on farm bills, please visit the National
Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
