Washington, D.C. -- Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) chaired a hearing of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee today to review the emergency farm assistance programs being administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the outlook for the farm economy.

Cochran welcomed his "friend and former staff member," the Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, Hunt Shipman, who testified at the hearing for the Department of Agriculture.

Cochran noted that "emergency funding for farmers was not specifically requested by the President in the budget request, but the budget does propose a continency fund to meet emergency requirements arising from natural disasters and from unforseen events." The President also proposes a ten-year contingency reserve which could provide additional assistance to farmers if needed.

The Senator commended the Department for making the implementation of emergency assistance programs a high priority and for working to promulgate regulations and disperse funds to producers.

Cochran said, "This Committee looks forward to working with the Department on these and other efforts to help farmers and to strengthen the U.S. farm economy."

Other witnesses who testified before the subcommittee included, Keith Collins, Chief Economist, Department of Agriculture, and Dennis Kaplan, Budget Office, Department of Agriculture.