Letter to Roberto Salazar, Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service, Re: Federal Emergency Food Assistance in Butler County

Letter

Harkin, Grassley Work to Continue Federal Emergency Food Assistance in Butler County

U.S. Senators Tom Harkin and Chuck Grassley are asking the federal government to continue providing emergency food assistance to Iowans in Butler County. Extensions have been given to residents of neighboring counties who were also hit by devastating floods just weeks after an EF-5 tornado ripped through the area.

In a letter to the top federal official for food and nutrition programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Harkin and Grassley said counties "should receive similar treatment in determining the duration of time for which they are allowed to operate a disaster food assistance program for persons affected by the floods."

The federal Food and Nutrition Service coordinates with state, local and volunteer organizations to provide food for shelters and other mass feeding sites, distribute food packages directly to households in need in some cases, and issue emergency food stamp benefits. People who might not ordinarily qualify for food stamps may be eligible if they have had disaster damage to their homes or lost income as a result of the disaster.

"This has been a trying time for residents of Butler County, who have literally had their lives turned upside down by this devastation. The very least USDA can do is extend this emergency food assistance so that hunger will be one less worry for Iowans who have endured so much already," Harkin said.

"We're seeking fair treatment for disaster victims in Butler County. Decent meals are a basic need that the federal disaster assistance programs can help with right now, in the aftermath of Iowa's tornados and floods, and it only makes sense to make this kind of help as available as possible as people work hard to recover and rebuild their lives," Grassley said.

The text of the senators' letter of request is below. Harkin is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Grassley is a senior member of the committee

July 2, 2008

Mr. Roberto Salazar
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service
United States Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20250

Dear Administrator Salazar,

It was recently brought to our attention that Butler County, IA was denied an extension for disaster food assistance. Butler County had been eligible since May 31st, due to the tornado that had devastated much of the town of New Hartford. However, following the tornado, Butler County, as well as neighboring counties of Bremer and Black Hawk, were impacted by destructive flooding.

Both Black Hawk and Bremer counties have been approved for further extensions of Disaster Food Assistance. Butler County was not, but was impacted by the same flood. Residents impacted by flooding in Butler County were not necessarily impacted by the tornado and would not have applied in early June for assistance, which makes it important for the county to be able to be able to continue to operate a disaster food assistance program in the weeks following the flooding there.

We would respectfully request that the Agency review the decision to deny disaster food assistance to Butler County. There can be no doubt that Butler, Bremer, and Black Hawk counties were all impacted by the same flood, and therefore each county should receive similar treatment in determining the duration of time for which they are allowed to operate a disaster food assistance program for persons affected by the floods.

Thank you for consideration of this request. We look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Grassley
U.S. Senator

Tom Harkin
U.S. Senator

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