Durbin Says Action by Key Committee Could Bring Relief to Illinois Farmers
DURBIN SAYS ACTION BY KEY COMMITTEE COULD BRING RELIEF TO ILLINOIS FARMERS
- U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said Illinois farmers are a step closer to receiving federal disaster assistance after he helped secure $4 billion in emergency aid as part of the Supplemental Appropriations bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today. The relief package would assist farmers and ranchers in Illinois and across the nation by extending federal aid to states confronted with drought, hurricanes and floods.
"Today, Illinois farmers are a step closer to receiving the federal assistance that they so desperately need after suffering significant losses due to natural disasters," Durbin said. "We have had a terrible drought in the Midwest - in my home state of Illinois, in Missouri and in parts of Iowa and Minnesota. We've had the worst drought in 105 years in some parts of Illinois and every county but one in the state has been designated a disaster area by the Secretary of Agriculture."
The amendment approved by the Committee would:
# Provide over $1 billion in Crop Disaster Assistance, which would give farmers who have lost more than 35 percent of their crop a payment of 50 percent of the established crop price.
# Provide $1.6 billion in Supplemental Economic Loss Payments to help compensate farmers for significantly higher energy and fertilizer costs in 2005.
# Provide $600 million for livestock producers facing increased feed costs.
# Provide additional assistance to farmers to compensate for sugarcane, sugarbeet, and other specialty crop losses and conservation programs.
Durbin has worked to provide critical relief for Illinois farmers whose crops have suffered in one of the worst droughts in a century. This fall, Durbin introduced a bill to extend the 2003-2004 disaster relief package through the 2005 crop year. Durbin said he was disappointed that "House conferees dropped the drought assistance for Midwest and other farmers in the supplemental package in December," despite the clear will of the Senate to provide this much needed emergency funding.
Last month, Durbin renewed efforts to help Illinois farmers by introducing, along with 24 other Senators from both parties, S. 2438, the Emergency Disaster Assistance Act of 2006. Durbin also sent a letter to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Ranking Member Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV), asking for the inclusion of disaster assistance funds in this year's emergency appropriations bill for Illinois farmers who incurred significant losses due to natural disasters.
"Most Illinois farms are run by families who depend on farming for their livelihood," said Durbin. "Last year's drought and this year's high gas prices could put struggling Illinois farmers out of business. This crop year may not reverse last year's fortunes and Illinois farming families should not be forced to pay the price."
Today, Durbin joined a bipartisan effort, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, to secure disaster aid in this year's Emergency Supplemental bill. The bill was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee this afternoon and will now go on to be considered for a vote on the Senate floor.
Drought conditions reduced crop yields in Illinois in 2005. According to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the value of Illinois' corn crop decreased by more than $1.1 billion, or about 25 percent, from 2004 to 2005 even as corn acreage increased. At least 10 counties in Northeast and Western Illinois sustained greater than 20 percent losses in corn yields. Soybean production was down 10 percent last year and valued $900 million less than 2004. In addition to these losses, there may be impacts on other crops and pasture as well.
The $4 billion disaster relief package for farmers and ranchers was included in a emergency appropriations bill that provided funds for the war in Iraq and Katrina recovery efforts.
http://durbin.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=253499&&