NAAA has joined a
letter, along with several other agricultural trade associations, seeking
to ensure disaster relief legislation is implemented in a manner that does not
harm farm service providers such as agricultural retailers, commercial
applicators and others who serve farmers
across the county.
The letter recognizes the importance of passing substantive
disaster relief legislation for farmers devastated by natural disasters but
raised concern about the impact USDA preventative planting payments may have on
the agribusiness community if offered too soon.
The letter reads in part, “… should farmers choose not to
plant in 2019 and instead take preventative planting compensation, the retailer
who positioned to provide seed, seed treatment, fertilizer and crop protection
for that crop will be left holding product which will either drop in value, or
worse, as in the case of treated seed, be of no value at all.”
As a solution to this dilemma, the letter asks Secretary
Perdue to delay the preventative planting date in the affective states for the
2019 growing season. This would allow the agribusiness community to still have
the opportunity to support the needs of farmers while ensuring farms in
disaster areas remain financially solvent.
In addition to NAAA, other signatories include the
Agricultural Retailers Association, the Southern Crop Protection Association
and several state agribusiness associations.
The full letter can be read here.
The Senate approved a $19.1 billion disaster relief plan
last month, with the House approving the same earlier this week. The legislation
is expected to be signed by President Trump shortly, and USDA Secretary
Perdue’s decision on providing preventative planting relief to farmers is
expected soon.
