Press Releases
March 27, 2008
Conrad Rallies Support for Disaster Aid Program
Program will Help Affected Producers Recover from Weather-Related Losses
Mandan – Farmers, ranchers and business leaders from across North Dakota joined Senator Kent Conrad today in calling for a standing disaster program as part of the new Farm Bill. The aid would deliver timely and reliable assistance to producers who have seen losses from weather-related disasters.
“Family farmers and ranchers should not have to come to Congress hat in hand each time Mother Nature wreaks havoc,” Senator Conrad said at a rally in Mandan. “By including a disaster program, we can ensure that our farmers and ranchers have access to support in a timely, cost-efficient manner. It makes sense for both our farmers and the taxpayer.”
The Senate version of the five-year Farm Bill, which included a $5 billion disaster program, won wide bipartisan support in January with a 79-14 vote for passage. Despite the broad, bipartisan support for the Farm Bill, the Administration has threatened a veto, and has cited the disaster program as one reason for its potential veto.
The Congress recently extended the current Farm Bill until April 18, to give negotiators time to complete negotiations on the final version combining both the House and Senate legislation.
Few pieces of legislation are as important to North Dakota’s economy as the Farm Bill. Agriculture is the largest segment of North Dakota’s economy, representing more than $4 billion in direct economic activity. One of every five North Dakotans draws their living directly from farming or ranching.
“This is a good bill for farm and ranch families in North Dakota and across the nation. It improves commodity, conservation and rural development programs. It also invests in biofuels like cellulosic ethanol,” Senator Conrad said. “The bill also includes a disaster package, because we know that sometime in the next few years some farmers, somewhere, will be the victim of a flood, or a drought, or some other disaster. We should be prepared.”
