U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

September 20, 2005

CONTACT:    Cody Wertz – Press Secretary

                        202-228-3630

Jen Clanahan – Deputy Press Secretary

                        303-455-7600

 

Sen. Salazar Elevates Congress’ Focus on Rural America – Spotlights Impacts of Pine Beetles & Extreme Gas Prices on Rural Communities in Colorado

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With Pine Beetle infestations and extreme gas prices wreaking havoc on the economies of Colorado’s rural communities, United States Senator Ken Salazar successfully added two amendments to the Agriculture Appropriations bill which passed earlier today. Senator Salazar’s amendments re-focus the federal government’s attention on these two critical issues directly impacting the lives of rural Coloradans.

“Rural Colorado, from mountain tourist towns to farming communities on the plains, are already suffering from drought, economic losses due to natural disaster and rising fuel costs,” said Sen. Salazar. “Our Nation cannot function without the important contributions that our farmers, ranchers and rural communities provide,” said Senator Salazar.

Senator Salazar included a Bark (Pine) Beetle Study amendment (SA 1755), which will require USDA to make combating pine and other bark beetle infestations a top priority. USDA will be required to present to Congress an action plan for combating bark beetle infestations and outline the necessary technical and financial resources to combat bark beetles and its plans to coordinate these efforts with state and local officials.

  • According to 2004 Forest Service reports, 7 million trees covering over 1.5 million acres, were killed by several different types of bark beetles throughout the state of Colorado
  • Earlier this week a wildfire burned 15 acres of beetle-killed forest in two hours in Summit County between Frisco and Breckenridge. The fire started south of Lake Dillon in an area surrounded by White River National Forest.
  • At the same time, total U.S. Forest Service funding is down 11 percent from last year, Forest Health Management funding is flat and the FY 2006 Wildland Fire Management plan appropriated only an additional $25 million for Forest Health activities on federal and state land ($15 M and $10 M, respectively).

Senator Salazar also added a Rural Fuel Prices Study amendment (SA 1754), which will require the USDA to report to Congress the effects of the current near-record gas, natural gas and diesel prices on farmers, ranchers and rural communities.

  • During harvest, agricultural producers are some of the largest fuel consumers in the U.S. and producers are facing enormous fuel costs. In Grand Junction, Colorado diesel prices are as high as $3.16.
  • One farmer in Burlington, Colorado is paying $55,000 for fuel on his farm as compared to $15,000 at this time last year. These costs amount to 10% of his farm’s budget. This same farmer has said that it will cost about $100 per acre to fertilize his corn field versus $50 per acre last year.
  • Another farmer in northeastern Colorado applied for additional loans at his bank in order to cover the increasing price of fuel but was turned down because he is already overextended with existing loans.

“I am pleased this bill, as passed today, now includes my amendment to require the Secretary of Agriculture to work with the Secretary of Energy to produce a comprehensive report on the impact of high gas prices on our farmers, ranchers and rural communities across the country,” said Salazar. “That data is the first step toward a comprehensive solution to helping these communities address these terrible prices.”

Having been passed by the full Senate, the FY06 Agriculture Appropriations bill (H.R. 2744) will now proceed to conference committee to iron out differences between House and Senate versions. The compromise conference report will then be voted upon a second time by both the House and Senate. If the House and Senate both approve the conference report, it will go on to the President’s desk for signature or veto.

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