Jim Simon, General Manager of the American Sugarcane League visited 'Mornings With Ken and Bernie' today at discussed the farm bill currently fighting it's way through Congress, the 2012 cane crop and a new cane disease known as orange rust.

According to Simon the farm bill is slowly winding it's way through Congress with some debate and a few changes and amendments.

The current sugarcane crop is progressing according to schedule.  Simon said farmers have completed pre-planting work and the fields are being "laid by" in preparation for harvest beginning in late September with subsequent planting for next year.

On the subject of orange rust Simon said,

"Orange rust is a fungal disease that attacks cane and we've know about it for some time.  It's something we have to deal with but it's not catastrophic.  It could cause problems in future years.  Orange rust has been prevalent for a few years in Florida and has popped up in three parishes in Louisiana.  The mild winter we had this past year helped to spread the orange rust and brown rust spores."

Listen to the interview:

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