09/25/06 Pulse industry on the farm bill

Farm and Ranch September 25, 2006 What the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council would like to see in the next farm bill was detailed for the U.S. House Agriculture Committee at a hearing in Washington D.C. last week by council chairman Jim Evans of Genesee, Idaho. Evan's called for continuation of marketing loans and LDPs. Evans: "The Marketing Loan Program is the single most important farm program tool used on our farms. This program provides some protection when prices go in the tank and pays me nothing when prices are good. I like this program because it allows me to take advantage of market opportunities and it satisfies my banker's need for some downside risk coverage." The council is also requesting that pulses be included in Counter Cyclical and Direct Payments and that large chickpeas be added to the program. Evans also called for more planting flexibility. Evans: "Chickpeas for example are currently considered a vegetable crop and are not eligible to be planted on farm program acres. Chickpeas are a very important part of my farm operation and I want the flexibility to plant them on program acres." On conservation Evans called for full funding of the Conservation Security Program and said that whole farm bids should be difficult to obtain under the Conservation Reserve Program. The USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council chairman called for expansion of the Market Access and Foreign Market Development programs and noted the importance of food aid programs to the pulse industry. Evans also said the new farm bill should have an energy credit for crops that save energy like legumes. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.