NEW YORK, June 21 (UPI) -- The U.S. government may be considering letting farmers use millions of acres of conservation property, officials say.
Floods in the Midwest have destroyed at least 4 million acres of highly valuable farmland, seriously impacting the success of harvests this year, The New York Times reported Saturday.
As the cost of corn and soy beans spike, the administration of U.S. President George Bush is being urged to take action to increase food production, the newspaper said.
Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, Friday called on the Agriculture Department to allow farmers to use land protected by conservation contracts.
"This is an extraordinary request. I would not make it if the situation in the Midwest were not so dire," Grassley said.
The government is also being urged to consider reducing restrictions on ethanol production, which could bolster corn supplies for animal feed, the Times said.
