| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Contact: Beth Day |
| April 25, 2001 | (202)224-6404 |
Washington, D.C. -- Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) chaired a hearing of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee today to review the Fiscal Year 2002 budget for the United States Department of Agriculture. Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman testified at the hearing.
Cochran urged Secretary Veneman "to monitor closely the problems being faced by producers of food and agriculture commodities and to request full funding for assistance that may be needed to deal with emergency needs of our nation's farmers." The Senator observed that the President's budget included requests for nutrition assistance programs, food safety programs, and trade initiatives that give U.S. producers access to world markets. Cochran asked about the challenges faced by the USDA to protect the U.S. against mad cow disease and foot and mouth disease. Cochran said, "These new challenges will require special efforts and vigilance to ensure that those problems don't occur in the U.S." The Secretary outlined the steps being taken to protect U.S. borders from these diseases that are creating serious problems in other parts of the world. Cochran also questioned the Secretary about disaster payments to farmers that were delayed by the previous Administration. "Last year Congress ordered disaster assistance payments be made to distressed farmers because of drought conditions and other weather-related problems that they faced. Those payments were late being dispersed, and I'd like to know if the funds that were appropriated for this purpose have been paid to the farmers who need them, or are there other problems that the Congress needs to address to deal with last year's declared emergencies," Cochran said. Secretary Veneman said that about $3.5 billion in payments have been made to those qualifying for emergency assistance, and almost all appropriated funds had been dispersed. Other witnesses at the hearing included Keith Collins, Chief Economist, Department of Agriculture, and Stephen B. Dewhurst, Budget Officer, Department of Agriculture.
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