RELIEF TO U.S. CORN/OATS GROWERS SAID LIKELY
U.S. farmers who in the past have
grown oats for their own use but failed to certify to the
government that they had done so probably will be allowed to
continue planting that crop and be eligible for corn program
benefits, an aide to Agriculture Secretary Richard Lyng said.
Currently a farmer, to be eligible for corn program
benefits, must restrict his plantings of other program crops to
the acreage base for that crop.
Several members of Congress from Iowa have complained that
farmers who inadvertantly failed to certify that they had grown
oats for their own use in the past now are being asked to halt
oats production or lose corn program benefits.
USDA likely will allow historic oats farmers to plant oats
but not extend the exemption to all farmers, Lyng's aide said.