Farm bill includes new graze-out payments to producers

The new farm bill provides graze-out payments to producers instead of loan deficiency payments for the 2002 to 2007 crop years, the Farm Service Agency says.

The program is available to livestock producers who choose to use acreage planted to wheat, barley, oats or triticale for grazing and agree to forgo any other harvesting on the acreage during the crop year. The producer must retain beneficial interest through the date the crop is grazed out.

The application period for graze-out begins the first day the Farm Service Agency county committee determines mechanical harvest begins, and it ends...