Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 3 · column 2 of 6 · from the scan, no model involved
ing altogether, Mr. Pease said. “If a farmer is debt-ridden already, this will make their position even more precarious,” he said. “This will likely drive many marginal producers out of wheat and feed grains.”
The government also changed the way it will run direct payment programs, installing a “triple base” set-up. Under triple base, a farmer who participates in a government program receives less in direct payments but is granted more flexibility in what he can plant on governmentenrolled acres.
Under the old Farm Bill, a farmer planted so many acres of the crop he “signed up” for, and then left a certain percentage fallow. With triple base, farmers can use some enrolled land to grow any crop they choose.
Carlton Courter, president of the Virginia Agribusiness Council, said such flexibility is a good thing, but that the timing may be bad.
“We encouraged flexibility in those programs some years back,” he said, “But with the Persian Gulf crisis and a looming national reces
96.2%