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Cotton state lawmakers urge Vilsack to act

Cotton1Lawmakers representing major cotton producing states showed their frustration with Ag Secretary Vilsack at a hearing on the state of the rural economy. Representative Austin Scott of Georgia said cotton is a “red state” product, as in Republican-leaning, and accused Vilsack of caring more about administration priorities, “I would just appreciate it if you would use the same flexibility to support our cotton farmers as is being used to do the other things like expanding the summer feeding program.”

Vilsack responded by saying he has statutory authority to expand nutrition programs but Congress has not given him that authority to add cotton to “other oilseeds” in the ARC and PLC programs of the farm bill, “We are asking Congress for permission to expand but we’re not expanding it in that vein because we don’t have permission to do it. That’s the issue.”

Vilsack says getting help to cotton producers as soon as possible depends on how fast Congress removes that prohibition and allows cottonseed to be added. Vilsack said he would work with the industry on a ginning cost-share program.

 

 

 

 

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