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BLACKSBURG — Most farm-. ers will probably decide it’s not worth participating in government programs when they see the provisions of the 1990 Farm Bill, according to a Virginia Cooperative Extension agricultural economist.
“Right now about 50 percent of total base acreage is enrolled in government programs,” said Jim Pease, Extension economist at Virginia Tech. “I wouldn’t be surprise to see that drop to 33 percent or less. We already see farmers coming to the conclusion that it’s not worth participating when target prices (a type of government subsidy) are frozen.”
Money for agricultral programs was cut 25 percent, or by $13.6 billion, Mr. Pease said.
Much of that money was cut from direct payment programs, where farmers receive money directly from the government when they enroll some of their acreage in commodity programs, such as those for com, wheat and soybeans.
The cuts in those programs probably will force some producers to change crops or to discontinue farm
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