WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today said a new farm bill proposal should not include cuts to direct payments or the federal crop insurance program.

The Senator made the remarks at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry on the commodities title:

"Since Direct Payments have been the only program in the commodity title that provides any predictable safety net to the majority of producers in my home state," Roberts said, "I get concerned when I read that some want to cut funding to Direct Payments and reduce assistance for Crop Insurance.

"Efforts to minimize, cut, trim or reduce these programs will not sit well in farm country, and certainly not with this member. In many cases these programs are the only reason producers are able to secure loans and stay in the business of farming.

"Were it not for Direct Payments and Crop Insurance the last four or five years many Kansas producers would be out of the business altogether. If you don’t believe me, ask the farmers and their bankers.

"Kansas produces more wheat and sorghum than any other state. Both of these crops have indicated that their number one priority in this farm bill is protecting Direct Payments. That being said, you know my position."

Roberts went on to describe the circumstances of Kansas wheat farmers. "I voted against the current farm bill. At the time I warned our wheat producers that had the bill been in place since 1982, no counter-cyclical payments would have been made in nine of those 17 years.

"Unfortunately that trend worsened over the life of this farm bill. Since the bill’s passage, our wheat producers have received no counter-cyclical payments and little benefit from the loan deficiency program.(LDP)

"At the same time, severe weather decimated yields, reducing supply and thus increasing the price of wheat well beyond the target price. Additionally, when producers have no crop to harvest, there’s no use for an LDP program."

Roberts looks forward to working with his colleagues, and producers in the fields to write a realistic, reasonable and predictable bill.

Senator Roberts, is a former Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and is a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.