ASI Ewe Lamb Federal Register Comments
Grady Bilberry, Director
Price Support Division, Farm Service Agency
USDA, STOP 0512, Rm 4095-S
1400 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20250-0512
Docket Number RIN 0560-AH15
“2004 Ewe Lamb Replacement and Retention Payment Program”
The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) enthusiastically endorses the proposed rule to implement the 2004 Ewe Lamb Replacement and Retention Payment Program. This program is crucial to the sheep industry goal of stabilizing and rebuilding the sheep inventory of the United States.
Since the January of 2004 announcement of the Administration’s decision to provide the ewe lamb program for 2004, millions of dollars of transactions and marketing decisions on hundreds of thousands of lambs have been made. The program has strong support from members of the U.S. Congress and the support of the American Sheep Industry Association remains steadfast as in our initial request of the Department of Agriculture.
We urge all consideration that the program signup be announced as soon as possible following the close of the 30-day comment period (October 7, 2004) so that producers that have been counting on the program have the opportunity to apply and have payment this calendar year.
We suggest an application period begin in October recognizing that FSA must review the application numbers against the available funding in order to determine if funds are sufficient to support the $18 per head payment. Our suggested timeframe allows payment in calendar year 2004.
We appreciate the Departments efforts in providing this critical program to strengthen sheep numbers and provide opportunity for those producers suffering drought conditions in 2001 – 2003 the change to participate
We are grateful for the Bush Administration’s approval of this program and urge all expediency in announcing the sign up period.
Sincerely,
Guy Flora
President