The U.S. Agriculture Departmentprobably will not offer a two dlr per bushel bonus payment to
corn farmers for any erodible cropland they enrolled in the
conservation reserve program last year, an aide to USDA
Secretary Richard Lyng said.
    Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) said yesterday that Lyng had
indicated he would consider giving those farmers the same two
dlr bonus offered corn farmers who are signing up for the 1987
program this month.
    But the aide to Lyng said it was doubtful that the
department would offer a retroactive bonus to farmers who
enrolled land in the 10-year conservation reserve last year.
    "How are you going to stop the tide," he said, referring to
demands that would follow from other commodity groups.
 Reuter
