Vilsack said the department’s earlier decision to use $3.2 million, which was originally set aside for the specialty crop block grant program, to enforce mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) would be reversed and the block grant program would receive the funds as Congress intended.

“NFU has long supported COOL and I was disappointed in the previous administration’s efforts to inappropriately pit covered commodities against each other,” Buis said. “This is the right move and in the best interest of all commodities.”

Vilsack also announced the department would extend, for 60 days, the comment period on the federal payment limit rule, which will only impact the 2010-2012 crop years. The interim final rule applies to the 2009 crop year.

“Producers across the country have expressed concern with the implementation of this rule and extending the comment period will allow more time for interested parties to weigh in,” Buis said.

Vilsack touched on a number of topics of importance to Farmers Union including, addressing the rural economy, growing our nation’s renewable energy production and improving rural Americans’ access to technology.