Wednesday, August 26, 2009Last Update: 2:14 PM PT

     WASHINGTON (CN) - Millions of government dollars will increase the amount available for low-interest Farm Storage Facility Loans to help mostly large farms store their product. Among the farms are those that grow corn for ethanol. Storage allows farmers flexibility to wait for a better commodity price.
     The additional costs for this implementation of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 are $6 million in 2009, $28 million in 2010, $30 million in 2011, and $32 million in 2012.
     The Commodity Credit Corporation rule adds hay and renewable biomass as eligible FSFL commodities. The maximum loan term is extended to 12 years, and the maximum loan amount is increased to $500,000, over a maximum loan amount of $100,000 per borrower.
     Fruits and vegetables (including nuts) also are added as eligible facility loan commodities. Cold storage facilities, which allow the removal of "field heat" before the produce goes to market, also are eligible.
     In addition, the new rule removes a provision that would disallow loans under the program if the agency determines that there is not a shortage of grain storage in the area of the producer.

     WASHINGTON (CN) - The Federal Trade Commission plans to combat telemarketers who advertise "debt relief services" that make deceptive representations to consumers. The agency's new regulation under the Telemarketing Sales Rule would prohibit misrepresentation and requires certain disclosures for consumer protection.
     Such services often advertise they can reduce consumers' interest payments by specific percentages or minimum amounts, in exchange for a fee of hundreds of dollars, and falsely purport to be affiliated, or have close relationships, with consumers' creditors.
     The Telemarketing Sales Rule requires that telemarketers soliciting sales of services promptly disclose the identity of the seller; the fact that the purpose of the call is to sell goods or services; and the nature of the goods or services being offered. The FTC would require the disclosure of the total cost of the debt reduction service being offered and the cost of repaying the consumer's debt.
     The Commission also proposes to ban the practice of debt relief service providers requiring up front payment for their services.

     WASHINGTON (CN) - The venom of a toad that lives in the Colorado River has been classified by the Drug Enforcement Administration as a highly powerful psychedelic.
     The Drug Enforcement Administration plans to place the powerful psychedelic tryptamine 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) and its salts into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.
     Drugs classified under Schedule I cannot be possessed, cultivated, sold, bought, consumed or traded in the United States.
     Traditionally 5-MeO-DMT has been used in psychedelic snuff made from virola bark resin, and is also found in the venom of the Colorado River toad. Only drugs for which there is no accepted medical usage, and no known method of safe ingestion, and which have a high potential for abuse are classified under Schedule I.