WASHINGTON, DC -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has extended the deadline for farmers to reallocate their base acreage and update yield, and to make a choice between the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs until April 7.  The previous cutoff date had been March 31.

 

"Growers need to go into their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices and fill out the paperwork," said John Owen, a Louisiana grower and Chairman of the USA Rice Federation Producers' Group.  "These deadline extensions have been helpful but they're not going to go on indefinitely."

 

USDA's reports show that almost 98 percent of producers have already updated yield and base, and close to 90 percent of producers have enrolled in one of the programs.

 

Contact:  Ben Mosely (703) 236-1471

 

The disagreements centered on the need for more geographically representative data so the CCCF agreed to re-establish the Electronic Working Group, led by China and co-chaired by Japan, to further consider new and/or additional data provided by main rice-producing countries and countries where brown rice is a major staple food.

 

USA Rice has been actively involved in the CODEX deliberations as an official advisor to the U.S. government delegation.  "We supported the CODEX standard of 0.20 mg/kg for white rice set last year -- all of our test data on U.S.-grown white rice shows that our rice falls well below this international standard and that U.S.-grown rice has some of the lowest levels of inorganic arsenic in the world," said USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward.  "We will continue to monitor the CODEX effort to establish a global level for brown rice with our guiding principle that sound science must be the driver and foundation of food safely policies and recommendations."

 

Contact:  Steve Hensley (703) 236-1445

 

A maximum of 40,000 acres of treated rice seed may be planted by means of dry-seeding and a maximum of 15,000 acres of treated rice seed may be planted by means of water seeding.  The use is limited to the following parishes:  Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Evangeline, Jefferson Davis, St. Landry, St. Martin, and Vermilion.

 

This exemption ends on June 1, 2015.  EPA says the product will not be eligible for Section 18 exemption next year unless very specific and complicated data requirements are met.

 

Contact:  Steve Hensley (703) 236-1445

 

An amendment to the resolution establishes a spending-neutral reserve fund to ensure federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act is focused on water quality, which may include limiting federal jurisdiction based on certain criteria.

 

"While the amendment has no chance of becoming law via the budget proposal, it shows that a similar stand-alone bill or amendment could clear the filibuster hurdle of 60 votes in the Senate," said USA Rice Vice President of Government Affairs Ben Mosely.  "Even if it was passed by both Chambers, the Senate would need to pick up a handful of votes to override a presidential veto."

 

Contact:  Steve Hensley (703) 236-1445