IS THE NEXT STEP
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The devastation left in the
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CROP GROWERS INSURANCE
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c*
Agriculture Groups Call For Action
ST. LOUIS, Mo. The American Soybean
Association and 11 other agricultural organiza
tions sent a letter to House and Senate leaders
calling for Congress to take specific actions to
boost agricultural exports and support farm
income.
The letter cited the need to follow through on
Congressional assurances made at the time the
Federal Agriculture Improve-ment and Reform
(FAIR) Act was enacted in 1996. Under FAIR,
farmers agreed to accept reductions in income
support payments based on government pledges
to provide “safety net” policies to improve global
competitiveness, enhance risk management, and
expand agricultural research.
“In our view, it is essential for the adminis
tration and the Congress to recommit their sup
port for basic programs that will ensure the via
bility and competitiveness of U.S. agriculture
over the short and long terms,” stated the letter
signed by the American Soybean Association,
American Farm Bureau Federation, National
Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley
Growers Association, National Cattleman’s Beef
Association, National Corn Growers Association,
National Cotton Council of America, National
Grain Sorghum Producers Association, National
Grange, National Oilseed Processors
Association, National Pork Producers Council
and National Sunflower Association.
Specific areas of concern identified in the let
ter include deterioration in support of U.S. agri
cultural trade policy, reduced government sup
port for export assistance and promotion pro
grams, and delay in providing adequate funding
for the federal crop insurance program The let
ter also cited the inability of Congress and the
administration to agree on agricultural spending
priorities, including national agricultural
research initiatives.
The groups urged the following actions to
address these concerns:
1. Fast Track negotiating authority must be
Sandy Lake Man Appointed To Board
To Bolster Farm Safety Net
Lancaster Fanning. Saturday, May 23, 1998-Al9
actively sought by the administration and
approved by Congress;
2. Legislation to provide $lB billion to replen
ish the International Monetary Fund should be
immediately passed by the Congress;
3. The administration and Congress should
modify U.S. sanctions policy to allow greater
flexibility for food exports to restricted countries,
including Iran and Cuba;
4. The administration should commit to seek
agreement to end unfair trade practices in the
next round of multilateral trade negotiations.
5. Congress should appropriate $35 million
for the Foreign Market Development program to
allow continued operation at the current level;
6. Congress should restore funding 'o allow
the Market Access Program to operate at ds cur
rent level of $9O million;
7. The administration should immediately
expand the Supplier Credit Guarantee Program
under GSM-102 and -103, and increase the
amount of risk covered under the program to 85
percent from the current level of 50 percent. The
GSM-5 Direct Credit Sales Program should be
reactivated;
8. Budget baselines equal to annual outlays
permitted by the WTO should be provided for the
Export Enhancement Program. EEP should be
used to combat unfair trade practices, or unused
funds should be shifted to other WTO-legal
export programs.
9. Congress should immediately pass the
Conference Report on the Research Title of the
FAIR Act (S. 1150) providing $470 million for
delivery of federal crop insurance and $6OO mil
lion for national agricultural research objectives;
10. Income averaging for farmers and ranch
ers and full deductibility of health insurance pre
miums should be made permanent in the next
tax bill;
11. Farm and Ranch Risk Management
(FARRM) accounts should be authorized in the
next tax bill
BOZEMAN, Mont H. Rob
ert “Bob” McQuiston, Sandy
Lake, has been appointed to the
16-member board of trustees of
the American Simmental Associa
tion (ASA).
McQuiston owns and operates
Haven Woods Farms, an opera
tion of 200 Simmental brood cows
on 800 acres. He’s also president
of Flexospan Steel Buildings, Inc.,
president of McQuiston and Com
pany, and secretary-treasurer of
Clark Development Corporation.
Five other new trustees, includ
ing Bob Finch, Ames, Iowa; Jerry
Ayers, Snyder, Okla.; Tom Nel
son, Wibaux, Mont.; Lora Rose,
Colville, Wash.; and Verlouis For
ster, Smithficld, Neb. were also
installed at that meeting.