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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Marion Berry (D-AR, 1st) criticized the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) today for announcing a drought assistance package that fails to provide farmers and ranchers with enough funding to overcome crop losses for the 2005 and 2006 crop years. USDA’s assistance package will only provide $50 million for a new livestock assistance program, $30 million for conservation, and accelerate $700 million in counter-cyclical payments which farmers were already expecting for the 2005 crop year. This package is just a fraction of the $4 billion Congressman Berry is working to secure for farmers and ranchers who live in counties designated a disaster area.
“USDA clearly has no idea how bad farmers are suffering here in Arkansas or the rest of the country,” said Congressman Berry. “This assistance is almost a joke compared to the considerable losses suffered by our producers during the 2005 crop year. You cannot expect a victory when you throw loose change at a really big problem.”
USDA’s drought assistance package includes $50 million for a new Livestock Assistance Grant Program for producers in states designated as D3 or D4 on the Drought Monitor between March 7 and August 31, 2006. It is questionable whether the 1st Congressional District of Arkansas will benefit from any of this funding. The package also includes nearly $30 million in unused conservation funds from programs like the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP), and expedites an estimated $700 million in counter-cyclical payments to upland cotton and grain sorghum producers.
Since September of 2005, Congressman Berry has introduced legislation, offered amendments, and sent letters to USDA Secretary Mike Johanns demanding roughly $4 billion in assistance for farmers and ranchers living in counties designated a disaster area by the USDA. His bill, the Agriculture Assistance Act of 2005, would give farmers either an additional 50% Farm Bill payment or payment based on yield loss.
“While any assistance from USDA is certainly welcome, I hope the agency takes this issue seriously and calls for the assistance necessary to overcome the challenges of the 2005 and 2006 crop years,” said Congressman Berry. “This nation will be in a lot of trouble if we do not prioritize the safety and security of our food supply.”
Farmers and ranchers across America suffered heavy crop and livestock losses from natural disasters including hurricanes, fires, floods and severe drought as well as record input costs for diesel fuel, natural gas, and fertilizer. USDA designated roughly 80% of the nation’s counties in 2005 as disaster or contiguous disaster areas with states like Arkansas, Texas, Illinois, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, and Oklahoma receiving disaster declarations for 100% of their counties. |
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