CORN FARMERS SUPPORT NECESSARY FARM BILL IMPROVEMENTS

Sep 12, 2011  |  ICGA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                 Contact: Jim Reed (217) 493-3334

                                                                       Paul Taylor (815) 751-4014          

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois corn farmers look forward to working with others around the country to enhance the current farm safety net with a new framework.

The Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) fully supports the proposal released earlier today by the National Corn Growers Association titled the “Agricultural Disaster Assistance Program” (ADAP). The plan correlates closely with what ICGA membership reported they needed in a series of farm bill listening sessions and surveys conducted last fall and winter.

ADAP will provide a risk management tool for farmers to protect year to year variability and multiple year declines, whereas crop insurance only provides coverage within a single crop year.

“ADAP would do exactly what our membership said they needed,” confirmed Jim Reed, ICGA President. “Illinois corn farmers said they need a simpler program that works with crop insurance instead of competing against it.”

Reed added, “Farmers are politically savvy. They know that in difficult economic times like this, new programs will be expected to fit in a tighter budget situation. ADAP fills that need, replacing direct payments and making a revenue supportive payment only when farmers experience a loss.”

Dekalb County farmer Paul Taylor led ICGA’s Farm Bill Taskforce and studied ADAP’s details. “ADAP fits the needs that our member’s reported to us,” Taylor said. “This program will respond more quickly with payments instigated sooner to the time of stress. And the program will trigger at a level closer to the farm.”

“ADAP is simpler to understand and implement. It responds to farm stress in a much more timely fashion. It fills in the gap that crop insurance doesn’t. It’s sensitive to budget needs. It’s the right program at the right time,” Taylor added.

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