Farm Policies

Date: 7/07
Position Number: II-A-1
Expires: 3/08

Background: In future farm policy support these long-term concepts to ensure prosperity for America’s
agricultural industry.

Resolution/Position:

1. Evaluate and support farm policy that will ensure that American farmers are:
   • Globally competitive,
   • Market responsive, and
   • Environmentally responsible
   and that provides producers with:
   • Access to world markets
   • Access to capital
   • Access to advances of technology, and
   • Risk Management
   in a sustainable and environmentally sound manner.
2. Support a program that:
   1. is compatible with NCGA goals for WTO negotiations;
   2. allows producers to make business and planting decisions based on market forces;
   3. allows market forces to determine supply rather that government decision making;
   4. allows payments to all size farms, small or large;
   5. promotes profitability but does not guarantee it;
   6. includes voluntary conservation practices and is adequately funded to encourage program participation to continue conservation of land and other natural resources;
   7. will increase federal funding for research, domestic and international market development;
   8. increases federal funding delivered to state and local control for rural economic development.
   9. Investigate revenue-based insurance as a component of an income safety net
   10. rewards producers for effort, assuming risk, and management
3. The 2007 Farm Bill Commodity Title for corn and potentially other commodities should provide for a county revenue countercyclical program integrated with crop insurance that is market sensitive while providing a safety net.
4. Support NCGA’s proposed 2007 National Farm Security Act as the focus of Title I.
5. NCGA supports the National Farm Security Act as a focus for the Commodity Title of the 2007 Farm Bill. This effort will advocate for an appropriate implementation transition period.
6. NCGA will be involved in the development of the next farm bill; and if at an appropriate time it is determined that extending the current Farm Bill is the best option NCGA will support that extension through 2012.
7. Support a conservation program available for all corn growers that rewards them for best management practices used in their operations.
8. NCGA will oppose any effort to lower the payment limits or change the payment limit rules for the current and future Farm Bills.
9. Allow direct payments to be received in cash or “401K” type payment invested in value-added farmer owned industries or conservation practices.
10. NCGA will support maintaining the current Farm Bill budget baseline.