USDA Leader Says Farm Bill Is In the Works

At the annual Farmers Breakfast and Briefing put on each year by Congressman David Price, the prospect of a new federal farm bill was discussed. Doug O'Brien is a USDA Deputy Undersecretary who spoke to the group. He says his superiors want this bill to be written. Congressman price says he expects to have to deal with issues like how much money will be available for such legislation.

Nine counties in North Carolina, mainly in the Blacklands, grow Irish potatoes. By law, the self-assessment of one penny per 100 pounds of potatoes must come up for referendum every three to six years. NC AG Commissioner Steve Troxler says this is the year, and those ballots will be in growers’ mailboxes later this week.  There are approximately 16,000 acres of Irish potatoes grown in North Carolina, with the majority of them exported to Canada for potato chips.