Soybeans produced in the UnitedStates face a competitive price problem because of the loan
rate provisions of the 1985 farm bill, U.S. Undersecretary of
Agriculture Daniel Amstutz said.
    Amstutz told a House Agriculture Appropriations
subcommittee hearing that soybeans are caught in a "squeeze"
because the Farm Bill allowed steep cuts in grain loan rates
while limiting the soybean reduction.
    As a result, he said U.S.-produced soybeans "have a price
problem" in competing with other soybean producing countries.
    Amstutz called the situation a "dilemma" for the USDA, and
said "we have spent hours in ASCS (Agriculture Stabilization
and Conservation Service) looking at this."
    He did not say what may be done to rectify the situation.
 Reuter
