U.S. Senator Pat Roberts

Roberts Outraged Over No Drought Assistance

Senator Pat Roberts, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, released this statement regarding the Senate Democrats failing to bring the bipartisan drought assistance bill to the Senate floor for a vote before adjourning for its summer Congressional work period, preventing critical assistance from going to the nation's livestock producers devastated by historic drought conditions:

Senator Roberts' Drought PSA

Kansas is facing sustained and severe drought with no signs of relief in sight. Lack of rainfall and high temperatures has had a devastating impact on the corn and soybean crops in Kansas. Ranchers in Kansas are also facing severe hardship due to a lack of available feed caused by the drought.

Every county is affected by these severe conditions. In fact, the USDA has allowed emergency haying and grazing of CRP lands in all 105 of our counties. This includes allowing haying on CP 25 ground for the first time ever. (Emergencing haying on CP 25 lands is allowed through August 31, 2012)

I am doing all I can to help our farmers and ranchers who are struggling with these dry conditions.

In a letter I wrote to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack that was signed by Republicans on the Senate Agriculture Committee, I called for releasing all Conservation Reserve Program acres for emergency haying and grazing. The letter also highlighted several ways Sec. Vilsack and the Obama administration can help producers, including approving a limited irrigation crop insurance policy, keeping producers apprised of crop insurance rules, providing guidance to producers and elevators, keeping producers informed of crop contaminates, directing crop adjusters to areas most in need, possibly reimbursing transportation of livestock to new grazing locations and getting water to livestock among other requests. Text of the letter can be found here.

In July, I along with Kansas Governor Sam Brownback brought together state, local and federal government officials, as well as representatives from the agriculture industry to talk about the effects of the drought across Kansas and how best to coordinate assistance for local farmers and ranchers. As a result of this meeting, Governor Brownback and I convinced the Army Corps of Engineers to suspend the releasing of water in three Kansas reservoirs allowing critical water to remain in Kansas where it is desperately needed.

After last year’s drought I heard from producers loud and clear, crop insurance is the best protection for those dealing with Mother Nature. We strengthened crop insurance in the Senate version of the Farm Bill. For our livestock producers, I was pleased to see USDA streamline the disaster declaration process to ensure they have the help they need immediately.

We still have much to do to ensure farmers and ranchers have the tools they need to keep in operation during the tough times like extended periods of drought. We ought to pass the Farm Bill this year to provide certainty for American agriculture and the rural communities that rely on it. I have been in frequent communication with USDA officials and Governor Brownback and rest assured we are all working together provide you much needed assistance.

If you are a producer in need of help or for more information, I urge you to contact your FSA office and crop insurance agent immediately.

Please see the links below for more information on the ongoing drought: