Agricultural News
Wheat Growers Continue to Regard Protection of Crop Insurance Highest Priority for 2012 Farm Safety Net
Thu, 01 Mar 2012 05:37:49 CST
With the 2012 Commodity Classic underway in Nashville this week, one of the big questions that is lurking in the hallways of Opryland is- can these four farm organizations find a common position on the Commodity Title as Congress ponders the 2012 Farm Bill? The four organizations, National Corn Growers Association, the American Soybean Association, the National Sorghum Producers and the National Association of Wheat Growers all have a great deal of interest in what the Commodity Title looks like- but apparently have different priorities for a federal farm safety net that may come from the 2012 bill.
Dana Peterson, CEO of the National Association of Wheat Growers, told us on Wednesday afternoon that the Domestic Policy Committee of the organization met again here in Nashville, following up on their sessions in Washington in January- and that some further direction was given to her staff and the National Officers in their negotiations with other farm groups when it comes to the Commodity Title of the 2012 farm bill.
While the President of the National Association of Corn Growers, Garry Niemeyer of Illinois, told us between meetings that they continue to champion a so called "shallow loss" program- Peterson said flatly the highest priority for the wheat producers is to protect and enhance crop insurance. She pointed out that Crop Insurance is vital to help with the big losses, like we had in 2011(as seen in our picture above) in the southern plains.
Peterson understands the call made by House Ag Committee Chairman Frank Lucas for farm groups to figure out a way to "sing from the same song sheet" and she tells us that it's important for the farm groups to have the "hard conversations" to come to some level of commond ground- beyond simply wanting a farm bill this year- and be able to present a united front to Congress in what the Commodity Title needs to look like. She says that will be vital as there are many other organizations and factions that want a much reduced Commodity Title as well as drastic cuts in crop insurance, which could endanger the viability of the safety net.
You can listen to our full conversation with Dana Peterson of the National Association of Wheat Growers- click on the LISTEN BAR below to do so. And, click here for the latest issue paper on the NAWG website on farm policy- as written before Commodity Classic.
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