'Soy Wars' leave farmers no place to store beans

In the real-life drama that could be entitled “Soy Wars,” it is the farmers on the front line that are “taking it on the chin,” U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham said.

Abraham concedes the situation with the soybean crop is bad and likely to get worse if steps are not taken to help soybean farmers out of the current market nightmare.

“Farmers could go bankrupt if something is not done,” he said.

Avoyelles County Agent Justin Dufour said the soybean harvest in Avoyelles is about halfway finished. The harvest is a little later this year because planting was delayed due to dry conditions. That could help farmers whose beans are not currently sitting in wet fields accumulating weather-related damage.

Abraham said the MFP allows payment to farmers to offset situations like the current “Soy Wars.”

“Right now, the MFP can only be used for harvested acres,” Abraham said. “There has to be a grain storage receipt before a payment can be issued."

Abraham said he has also asked the USDA to “incentive farmers with empty corn bins to allow soybeans to be stored there until we can get them on barges and sent to other markets.”

Abraham praised USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and Strain for their efforts in trying to help farmers through this difficult period. The doctor-turned-politician said he realizes “this is like putting a bandage on the problem to stop the bleeding until a bigger and better solution can be found.”

However, he added, said some kind of emergency temporary fix is needed to keep many farmers from going under.

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