USDA Backtracks On Farm Bill Deadline

In an apparent reversal of the position they took just last week, USDA officials said this week that farmers who are unable to get appointments for updating their base acres and yields by the April 1 deadline will be given extensions and allowed to sign up after that date.

Both Farm Services Agency Administrator James Little and USDA Undersecretary J.B. Penn stated that policy to a House Agricultural Appropriations Subcommittee hearing.

"If there's any producer who, through no fault of their own, can't get signed up by April 1, we'll make sure we do get them signed up as soon as we possibly can and they won't suffer any loss in benefits whatsoever," Penn said.

Last week, four subcommittee members described backlogs in their districts and questioned how USDA would be able to complete sign up on time.

Editors note: Richard Brock, Soybean Digest's Marketing Editor, is president of Brock Associates, a farm market advisory firm, and publisher of The Brock Report.

To see more market perspectives, visit Brock's Web site at www.brockreport.com.