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December 2008
FR Notices on Program Payment Limitation and Payment Eligibility (112k pdf) 12/29/2008
On December 29, USDA published a Federal Register notice pertaining to farm program payment limitation and payment eligibility for 2009 and subsequent crop, program and fiscal years.
 
FR Notice on DCP, CCP and ACRE Programs (138k pdf) 12/29/2008
On December 29, USDA published a notice on regulations regarding provisions implementing the direct and counter-cyclical payment program (DCP) for the 2008-12 crop years and the Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) program payments for the 2009-12 crop years.
 
Letters Urge Action on Export Credit Cap (152k pdf) 12/19/2008
The NCC has joined commodity and farm organizations on letters to the chairmen and ranking members of: 1) the House/Senate agriculture committees and 2) the House/Senate agriculture appropriations committees urging Congress to eliminate or suspend the $5.5 billion cap on export credit guarantees.
 
Sunbelt Agriculture's Challenges Must Be Understood 12/17/2008
In response to President-elect Obama's nomination of Iowa governor Tom Vilsack as next Secretary of Agriculture, the NCC said US cotton leaders are awaiting the nomination of individuals to serve in key positions at USDA and other agencies who are familiar with Sunbelt agriculture and who understand the challenges of diverse crop production on commercially viable farms capable of competing in domestic and international markets.
 
Textile Mills Economic Assistance Clears Hurdle 12/12/2008
USDA made available the User Agreement for textile mills participating in the Economic Adjustment Assistance Program authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008.
 
Commodity and General Farm Organizations Urge Immediate Release of Farm Law Regulations 12/09/2008
The NCC joined every major commodity and farm organization in conveying serious concerns about the significant delay in publishing the regulations implementing numerous commodity and conservation provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008.
 
Letter to Secretary Schafer Expressing Regulations Implementation Delay Concerns 12/09/2008
The NCC joined multilple farm groups whose members produce a significant portion of the U.S. food, fiber and feed in the United States on a letter to Agriculture Secretary Schafer to express concern about the significant delay in publishing the regulations implementing numerous commodity and conservation provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008.
 
Baucus, Grassley, Rangel, McCrery Letter to Administration on Doha Concerns 12/09/2008
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-IA), along with House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Ranking Member Jim McCrery (R-La), sent a letter to President Bush, urging the administration to stand firm in the Doha Round negotiations.
 
Doha Negotiations Concerns Conveyed to President Bush (435k pdf) 12/08/2008
A December 8 letter to President Bush from Senate agriculture committee chairman Harkin and ranking member Chambliss and signed by multiple Senators expressed concerns about the agricultural trade negotiations in Geneva.
 
NCC Issues Statement on Revised Falconer Text 12/08/2008
The NCC says the revised Falconer Text unfortunately incorporates most of the loopholes in agricultural market access contained in the failed Lamy compromise package offered in July.
Farm Bill Information
 
NCC Summary -- Final Rule Implementing the '08-12 Cotton Programs 11/07/08
The NCC summarized selected provisions of the final rule implementing the Upland/ELS Cotton Programs for '08-12.
 
Cotton Program Changes for Loans, Loan Deficiency Payments, Upland Cotton, and Extra Long Staple Cotton (82k pdf) 11/05/08
The Federal Register published the CCC's notice of its revising regulations as required by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the '08 Farm Bill) to administer loan and payment programs for upland cotton and extra-long staple (ELS) cotton producers and establishing new regulations to specify payment provisions for domestic users of upland cotton. The NCC posted its summary of selected provisions (Members Only).
 
Letter to Agriculture Secretary Regarding Farm Law Implementation Regulation 10/24/08
The NCC, the National Council of Textile Organizations, AMCOT, the American Cotton Shippers Association and the American Cotton Producers conveyed serious concern about the delay in publishing the regulation necessary to implement the new farm law.
 
USDA Issues Final '07-Crop CCPs For Upland Cotton 10/10/08
On Oct. 10, Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced that USDA's Commodity Credit Corp. will issue $384 million in final '07 counter-cyclical payments to eligible producers with enrolled upland cotton base acres in the Direct and Counter-cyclical Program.
 
Congressional Members Urge Secretary to Minimize Unnecessary Changes in Farm Programs' Operation 09/30/08
A bipartisan group of Cotton Belt Senators and House members, led by Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Representatives Etheridge (D-NC) and Emerson (R-MO), has written Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer to stress that it is inappropriate and unnecessary for USDA to cause serious disruptions in current farming operations by proposing unwarranted changes in the way it makes actively-engaged-in-farming determinations.
 
Federal Register Notice Published on '08 Farm Law (51k pdf) 07/16/08
USDA published a notice in the July 14 edition of the Federal Register announcing that "... with respect to the DCP, marketing assistance loans, loan deficiency payments under Title I of the 2008 Farm Bill, and CRP under Title II of the 2008 Farm Bill CCC will implement payment limitations and eligibility provisions for the 2008 crop, fiscal or program year based on the current regulation in 7 CFR part 1400, as it applied to the 2007 crop or 2007 crop year."
 
Federal Cotton Program Works, Expenditures Declining 07/10/08
Criticisms of U.S. cotton farm programs are unwarranted. The truth: U.S. farm programs have operated as designed, supporting farmers’ incomes in times of low prices while allowing them to react to market signals.
 
USDA Issues Advance Direct Payments 07/07/08
USDA announced that up to $1.15 billion in 2008 advance direct payments will be distributed to US farmers beginning on July 7.
 
Top USDA Officials Discuss Farm Bill Implementation 06/26/08
Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer, along with Chuck Conner, deputy secretary of Agriculture, and Floyd Gaibler, deputy undersecretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, discussed (see transcript) implementation of the new farm law during a news conference on June 25.
 
Direct & Counter-Cyclical Payment Signup Underway 06/25/08
USDA announced that on June 25 signup began for the '08 Direct and Counter-cyclical Payment Program under the new farm law.
 
Quality Loss Crop Disaster Program Signup Begins 06/20/08
USDA announced that eligible farmers who suffered quality losses to their crops in recent years can enroll in the Crop Disaster Program 2005-2007 at local FSA service centers starting June 23, '08.
 
Revision to US Cotton Table in USDA’S June 10 WASDE Report 06/03/08
The June 10 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report will reflect a change in the US cotton table -- as the new farm law has eliminated the longstanding prohibition on USDA’s publishing of cotton price forecasts.
 
NCC Reviewing Key Farm Law Provisions 05/30/08
NCC staff is reviewing key provisions of the new Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 in 45 educational meetings across the Cotton Belt during the weeks of June 16 and June 23.
 
Farm Bill Now Law With Exception of Trade Title 05/23/08
The House Parliamentarian issued a statement saying the override of the President's veto on HR 2419 makes that farm bill legislation law, with the exception of the trade title.
 
Farm Bill Veto Override Important Step 05/22/08
The NCC expressed appreciation to all Members of the House and Senate who acted in a bipartisan manner to promptly override the President’s veto of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008.
 
Farm Bill Veto Override Urged Now 05/21/08
The NCC called on Members of the House and Senate to promptly override the President’s veto of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008.
 
Senate Farm Bill Approval Commended by the NCC 05/15/08
NCC Chairman Larry McClendon commended the Senate for its decisive passage of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 and urged President Bush to reconsider his veto threat.
 
NCC Applauds House Vote on Farm Bill 05/15/08
NCC Chairman Larry McClendon expressed gratitude for the House of Representatives’ overwhelming approval of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 and urged a similar strong showing in the Senate.
 
NCC Action Alert Regarding the Farm Bill Conference Report 05/08/08
An NCC Action Alert urged support for the Conference Report on the new farm bill.
 
110th Congress -- Cotton Belt U.S. Representatives 05/07/08
This is a list of Cotton Belt U.S. Representatives and their contact information, including agricultural and trade liaisons and schedulers. Use 202 area code when calling and first name.last name@mail.house.gov when emailing a staffer. Ex: jane.doe@mail.house.gov
 
110th Congress -- Cotton Belt Senators 05/07/08
This is a list of Cotton Belt U.S. Senators and their contact information, including including agricultural and trade liaisons and schedulers. Use 202 area code when calling.
 
WTO Negotiations Could Undermine Farm Bill Efforts 02/29/08
NCC Chairman Larry McClendon said the NCC will continue to work closely with Congress to ensure final passage and implementation of the farm bill and a successful conclusion to the WTO Doha negotiations.
 
Letter Urges Expediting Farm Bill Conference (13.4k pdf) 02/14/08
The NCC joined in an agricultural organization coalition that sent a letter to the Senate and House ag committee chairmen and ranking members conveying appreciation for Chairman Peterson's and Ranking Member Goodlatte's efforts to move the farm bill process forward.
 
Senate Farm Bill Conferees Named 02/05/08
The Senate announced on Feb. 4 its conferees for the upcoming conference on the omnibus farm bill.
 
USDA Accepting Crop Disaster Applications 01/28/08
USDA announced on Jan. 25 that eligible farmers and ranchers who suffered livestock, livestock feed and crop losses that occurred before Dec. 31, '07, now can apply to receive disaster payments.