For rice producers, this means receiving not only the 2000 AMTA payment, but also an emergency payment set at the 1999 level. Under the legislation, the emergency AMTA payment is to be sometime during the month of September. This represents a major victory for rice farmers, as the scheduled 2000 AMTA payments had declined from the 1999 level by 15 percent in these times of very low commodity prices and increased fuel costs. The emergency farm assistance provisions also protect the generic commodity certificate authority through the 2002 crop year, which USA Rice supported in last year's emergency farm assistance package. The legislation passed today will be sent to President Clinton, who is expected to sign it.
Associate members cover virtually the entire marketing and distribution channels for U.S. rice.
The USA Rice Council, the U.S. Rice Producers' Group and the Rice Millers' Association are charter members of the USA Rice Federation.