Both corn and soybean grower organizations outlined their policy priorities on Thursday at the Commodity Classic in Nashville, TN. Like the corn growers, the ASA is calling for action on a new Farm Bill this year. Alan Kemper, ASA chairman and Indiana farmer, said waiting until 2013 for a new Farm Bill is not a good idea, “We don’t want to wait and see what a new Congress may try to do to agriculture.”
Another priority for ASA is resolution of EU sustainability standards that is keeping US soy biodiesel out of the European market. Kemper says this measure violates international trade rules, “They are using a political mandate to restrict trade, and that is a clear violation of the WTO.” The Tippecanoe County farmer told HAT that the US government must put more pressure on the EU to modify its proposed standards.
A third area of focus for ASA is transportation. First VP Danny Murphy, a farmer from Canton, MS, says the Midwestern river system needs repair, “For example, on the Mississippi river the locks have outlived their expected useful lifespan.” He warned that, if there was a lock failure, it could shut down the river system for days. Delegates will meet on Saturday to finalize efforts to bring resolution to this issue.
[audio:https://www.hoosieragtoday.com//wp-content/uploads//2012/03/ASAwrap1.mp3|titles=ASA Sets Policy Priorities]