tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10238534.post7003105918825637880..comments2023-11-05T04:35:19.263-05:00Comments on Faceless Bureaucrat: When Is a Farmer a Farmer?Bill Harshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094598931693185805noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10238534.post-1810606481403156332007-10-08T15:45:00.000-04:002007-10-08T15:45:00.000-04:00The Dorgan-Grassley bill is S-1486, findable by se...The Dorgan-Grassley bill is S-1486, findable by searching on http://www.thomas.gov.Bill Harshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02094598931693185805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10238534.post-43685516720565280022007-10-05T18:42:00.000-04:002007-10-05T18:42:00.000-04:00A major feature of the Dorgan-Grassley payment lim...A major feature of the Dorgan-Grassley payment limits bill is a tightening of the rules requiring farm program payment recipients to be "actively engaged" in farming. Current USDA interpretation of the law allows individuals who participate in a single conference call each year to be considered "actively engaged" due to their participation in a "significant management decision". <BR/><BR/>The Dorgan-Grassley bill, which is almost certain to be a floor amendment in the Senate, would require 1,000 hours of labor per year to be considered actively engaged. This would ensure that those receiving farm program payments are actually farmers. <BR/><BR/>Requiring that recipients live on the land is appealing and has been proposed before, but it runs into problems. For example, a family has farmland and ownership is divided among 3 siblings. One sibling farms all 3 parcels because the other two have moved away. In this not-uncommon scenario, should the sibling only be eligible for payments on the parcel he owns and lives on? That's a tough sell politically and probably not very good policy either. <BR/><BR/>No matter how you structure it, though, this attorney shouldn't be getting payments. <BR/><BR/>Dan Owens<BR/>Center for Rural AffairsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com