 NEWS
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of Communications News Room 460-A
Washington, DC 20250-1300
Internet: News@usda.gov Phone: 202-720-9035
World Wide Web Home Page: http://www.usda.gov
Release No. 0198.02
Jillene Johnson (202) 720-9733
jillene_johnson@wdc.usda.gov
USDA TESTS MAKING FARM BILL PAYMENTS VIA THE
INTERNET
National Implementation Expected Next Year
WASHINGTON, May 21, 2002 In a discussion with farm
broadcasters and farm print reporters from around the country,
Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced that USDA
is testing a new program that will allow farmers to receive
program payments via the Internet.
The pilot program will allow producers in selected counties
in twenty-one states to receive loan deficiency payments (LDPs)
via the Internet. Veneman said the new program is part of
implementing the new farm bill using electronic services to the
extent feasible.
"Our hope is that we can institutionalize this type of technology
as we implement the new farm bill," said Veneman. "This type of
service would save time and resources that producers now spend in
USDA offices. Our hope is that this pilot program will move us closer
in that regard."
The 21 counties in which the pilot program is being implemented
are: Cross County, Ark.; Cass County, Ill.; Adams County, Ind.;
Jasper County, Iowa; Marshall County, Kan.; Christian County, Ky.;
East Carroll County, La.; Jackson County, Mich.; Lyon County, Minn.;
Nodaway County, Mo.; Chouteau County, Mont.; York County, Neb.;
Sampson County, N.C.; Cass County, N.D.; Sandusky County, Ohio;
Texas County, Okla.; Northumberland County, Pa.; Spink County, S.D.;
Obion County, Tenn.; Collin County, Texas and Jefferson County, Wis.
Producers using the new e-LDP service will no longer need to
come into USDA offices to get their LDPs. They will be able to apply
for and receive LDPs from their homes when it's convenient for them.
Besides saving producers time traveling to and from county offices,
applying online will eliminate paperwork and speed up payment
processing. The service has stringent security measures to protect
participants' private information.
"We are finding that more and more of our producers are using the
Internet. This enables us to provide faster, more efficient and
accurate services to the Nation's farmers," Veneman said.
Veneman also announced that USDA's Economic Research
Service will release today a side-by-side comparison of the
1996 Farm Bill and the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act
of 2002. The tool, available on USDA's farm bill website at
http://www.usda.gov/farmbill and ERS's website at
http://www.ers.usda.gov/, will include title-by-title comparison,
glossary of farm bill terms, links to background information,
and economic analysis.
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