[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 26, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S604]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. NELSON of Nebraska (for himself and Mr. Enzi):
  S. 194. A bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 
2002 to permit the planting of chicory on base acres; to the Committee 
on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Mr. President, today I am offering 
legislation with Senator Mike Enzi to remove chicory from the fruit and 
vegetable, FAV, planting prohibition on Direct and Counter-Cyclical 
Program, DCP, base acres.
  Diversification is a common theme among farm producers throughout the 
country. If we expect our producers to survive, we have to give them 
more options for diversifying agriculture. Our responsibility should 
include the elimination of the disincentive to produce alternative 
crops. This bill offers a clear opportunity to grow a chicory industry, 
creating a new revenue stream and helping to diversify agriculture 
production.
  The State of Nebraska currently has the only chicory processing 
facility in the United States. There is a strong interest from 
producers in Nebraska and Wyoming to increase the production of 
chicory, due to its relatively low input cost and opportunity for high 
profits. Only 800 to 1,000 acres of the crop are expected to be planted 
in 2005. Farm bill policies are simply blocking the prospects for 
growth in the chicory industry.
  The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 currently provides 
three exceptions--lentils, mung beans, and dry peas--to the FAV 
planting prohibition on DCP base acres. Chicory should be added to this 
list of exceptions.
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