NCGA President Lee Klein presents testimony on NCGA's National Agriculture Security Act (NASA) to the Senate Agriculture Committee. To his left is NCGA Public Policy Action Team member Ron Litterer, who also presented testimony on NCGA's behalf.

For Senate Agriculture Committee, NCGA Details its Vision of the Next Farm Bill (7-12-01)

Battle Creek, Neb., farmer and National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Lee Klein shared NCGA's vision of the next farm bill with the Senate Agriculture Committee today in Washington, D.C.

Joined by Ron Litterer, vice chair of NCGA's Public Policy Action team and a Greene, Iowa, farmer, Klein detailed what corn producers expect from the next farm bill: "Simply, our growers want a farm program that ensures America's farmers are globally competitive, market responsive and environmentally responsible. This program must provide producers with access to world markets, access to capital, access to advances in technology and risk management in a sustainable and environmentally sound manner."

The centerpiece of NCGA's proposal is a counter-cyclical income support program, which today's testimony covered in considerable detail. Klein outlined for the committee what corn growers seek: "It is NCGA's goal to develop new uses for corn; to develop and build a renewable products industry with corn as the chief feedstock; to increase utilization of corn; and to increase the opportunity for grower profits."

He added that the next farm bill should provide producers with "opportunities in the market place with minimal interference in production decisions and that includes a safety net against those economic forces that are beyond producers' control," adding, "We believe we have developed a program that will do just that."

NCGA's National Agriculture Security Act (NASA) addresses the inequities in the current marketing assistance loan program, puts U.S. agricultural supports in the more favorable green box and is fiduciarily appropriate and responsible.

Klein concluded: "We believe we have identified very real problems with today's farm policy and proposed a policy that we believe addresses them. We also contend that this policy proposal is both less production- and trade-distorting than current policy, and offers this country's farmers a real safety net when it is needed most."

PDF of testimony

Last reviewed July 12, 2001