Durbin Meets With Illinois Corn Growers to Discuss Agriculture Priorities

Press Release

Durbin Meets With Illinois Corn Growers to Discuss Agriculture Priorities

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted a meeting with representatives from the Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) to discuss the Farm Bill and disaster assistance for farmers affected by severe flooding earlier this year.

"Earlier this year, Congress passed a Farm Bill that makes significant investments in nutrition, conservation, and renewable energy programs," said Durbin. "Illinois farm land is among the most productive in the world and our state stands to benefit greatly from this new law."

Durbin discussed the success Congress had in overriding the President's veto of the Farm Bill. Of particular importance, was a provision in the new Farm Bill law that creates an optional revenue counter-cyclical program designed to improve the safety net for farmers like those in Illinois by replacing current price-support programs with a comprehensive revenue protection program.

The program, called Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE), is based in large part on legislation introduced by Durbin and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in late July 2007 called the Farm Safety Net Improvement Act. It will provide farmers with a state-based revenue-counter-cyclical program to protect against losses in both yield and price. In lieu of direct payments, farmers opting into the program would be provided with a fixed payment of $15 per acre.

Finally, Durbin and the representatives from the ICGA discussed the need for assistance to Illinois farmers in response to severe flooding and damage from last month's storms. In a June 26th meeting with the Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer, Durbin and members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation pressed for more federal assistance for Illinois counties that experienced major flooding and storm damage. Specifically, the members asked for special assistance to farmers as part of a coordinated effort between federal agencies, state agencies and local governments throughout the Midwest to help residents, families and businesses recover from the disaster.

"I met with the Secretary of Agriculture last month to discuss disaster assistance to farmers affected by the recent flooding and storm damage across Illinois," said Durbin. "I will continue to work with the USDA and other federal agencies to ensure that Illinois residents and farmers have access to as many federal resources as possible."

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