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Nebraska farm group seeks sign-up extension

 

Nebraska Farm Bureau is asking for an extension of the farm bill sign-up period.

In a letter to Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack, the Nebraska group asks that USDA give farmers until April 30th to make decisions related to base acre reallocations, yield updates and all other commodity related farm program decisions.

Jordan Dux, director of national affairs for Nebraska Farm Bureau, says many farmers are still struggling with the complex farm program decisions. Dux says farmers could use the additional time to evaluate and make those decisions.

“To give folks a little bit more time to truly examine what these programs mean for them, what direction they need to go,” Dux says, “and, overall, just make sure they make a good decision for their operation and their risk management strategies.”

Dux says, by all indications, Nebraska is running equal to or ahead of other states in terms of sign-up. But he says an extension of the sign-up period would assure that all producers are being treated fairly.

“If you have some states that are behind the game and who may be given a little special treatment, we want to make sure Nebraska producers are offered that same amount of time—that same extension maybe, across the board—to make that Nebraska producers are not at a disadvantage when it comes to some price forecasting or some prices as to where some programs are at,” he says.

Dux says if an extension is imminent, then having just one deadline for everyone–and for all program decisions–would make the most sense.

AUDIO: Jordan Dux

Photo courtesy of USDA-FSA