Schumer, Clinton Urge USDA To Swiftly Approve Federal Assistance To Upstate New York Counties Battered By Hail Storm
Press Release
Farmers in Twenty-Three New York Counties Suffered Heavy Damage To Crops As A Result Of the Severe Storm Governor Paterson Today Requested Federal Assistance to Help Farmers Slammed by Last Week's Freak Hail Storm Senators Schumer, Clinton Call on USDA To Act Swiftly to Protect Upstate New York's Farmers
Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton today called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to approve quickly Governor Paterson's request for federal assistance to aid the twenty-three counties in New York that were battered by last Monday's hail storm. In a letter to USDA Secretary Ed Schafer, the Senators strongly urged that the USDA expedite Governor Paterson's request for disaster aid and provide the necessary assistance to those New York counties whose farms sustained severe damage due to the hail storm.
"Our farmers are the backbone of our economy and we must provide immediate assistance after the golf ball-sized hail storm destroyed their crops and profits for the season," Schumer said. "I urge the USDA to work swiftly to grant Governor Paterson's request for federal aid so that we can get New York's farmers back on their feet. This assistance would go a long way towards helping our farmers recover from the devastating losses of last week's hail storm."
"Farmers throughout New York have lost a significant portion of their crops, causing huge financial losses as a result of the hail storm. Federal assistance is absolutely critical in helping our farmers and agriculture businesses overcome the challenges of recovering from a disaster as unexpected and with damage as widespread as this was. I strongly urge the USDA to take the necessary steps to expedite Governor Paterson's request for federal aid so that we can help New York's farmers begin the task of cleaning up and rebuilding what was lost," said Senator Clinton.
Last week, farms across 23 counties in New York were slammed with a freak hail storm that left hundreds of devastated crops in its wake. Across the region, farmers reported the loss of fruit, corn and vegetablessome losing as much as 75% of their crops.
Today, Senators Schumer and Clinton are calling on the USDA to approve quickly Governor Paterson's request for federal assistance to aid the counties hit by last Monday's hail storm. Earlier today, Governor Paterson announced that he had requested disaster assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), urging the agency to declare the twenty-three New York counties across the state that were hit with large sized hail, high winds and excessive rain, as agricultural disaster areas. The counties included in the Governor's disaster assistance request are: Albany, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Columbia, Dutchess, Erie, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Monroe, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Orleans, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Ulster, Wayne and Westchester Counties.
A disaster designation would make farm operators in both primary and contiguous counties eligible to be considered for low-interest Emergency loans from USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA). FSA will consider each application on its own merit by taking into account the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability. These emergency loans are designed to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, other natural disasters, or quarantine. Emergency loan funds may be used to restore or replace essential property; pay all or part of production costs associated with the disaster year; pay essential family living expenses; reorganize the farming operation; and refinance certain debts.
With passage of the 2007 farm bill, of which Senators Clinton and Schumer were very strong supporters, the Secretarial designation is even more important than in years past. With a new program created in the 2007 farm bill, farmers will automatically be compensated for lost crops if they are in a Secretarially-declared disaster area. Payments will vary depending on the type of crop, the extent of the damage, and the type of crop insurance that the farmer has. The program is new and regulations have not yet been written, so farmers will not be able to enroll yet.
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