WASHINGTON, April 2, 2009 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the rule terminating base acres on federal land has been rescinded. As a result of Vilsack's action, farmers who lease federal land are again considered eligible to receive payments under the Direct and Counter-cyclical Program (DCP) on federal land with base acres.

"Terminating base acres on federally-owned cropland would have hurt farmers across the United States and eroded the safety net for farmers and ranchers," said Vilsack. "In keeping with President Obama's commitment to American agriculture, we have decided to rescind this rule."

This decision rescinds the part of the Dec. 23, 2008, DCP final rule, which terminated base acreage on federal lands. The rule directed that beginning in crop year 2009, producers who leased federal land would no longer be eligible for DCP payments authorized under the 2008 Farm Bill.