Leaving farmers behind

The House-Senate conference committee on the 2006 Emergency Supplemental bill failed to include meaningful disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers in its committee report. Senate conferees pushed for a version of the bill consisting of $3.9 billion in relief funding, but House negotiators stripped it down to $409 million.

“We’re very disappointed that the conference committee did not include weather-related disaster assistance for producers who have suffered severe economic blows due to circumstances beyond their control,” NFU President Tom Buis said.

Sen. Byron Dorgan, Dem.-North Dakota, offered an amendment during the conference committee meeting to maintain the senate-passed $3.9 billion for agriculture losses. That amendment was rejected by the House conferees working in consort with President Bush, who promised to veto the proposed assistance for producers.

“Despite the recent setback, NFU will continue to pursue disaster assistance legislation to help farmers who have suffered tremendous economic losses through no fault of their own,” Buis said.