Deal Reached on Drought Aid for N.C. Farmers
Dec 17, 2007—WRAL television of Raleigh, N.C. is reporting on its website that North Carolina farmers may get some much-needed financial relief from the record-setting drought.
The funding will be part of an omnibus spending bill that the U.S. House of Representatives was expected to vote on Monday.
The bill would amend a provision signed by President George Bush in May that provided $3 billion in agriculture assistance for declared disasters in 2005, 2006 and 2007, but set a deadline of Feb. 28, 2007, eliminating farmers affected by the drought from being covered.
The bill would extend a deadline to Dec. 31, allowing farmers affected by the drought to be eligible for direct disaster assistance.
The news comes the same day that a report prepared for the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services stated soybean farmers suffered $130 million in damages due to the drought.
A total of $382 million in losses will directly hit farms, while the remainder will cut into the state's related economic activity. Tobacco farmers, while delivering on their contracts, suffered from a dry and bright curing season.
The numbers did not count losses for the livestock, poultry and dairy industries that have also struggled through the drought.
"This disaster assistance is a major achievement and an important step forward for America’s farmers,” said U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington). “Without these funds, farmers may not be able to farm next year, creating a ripple effect where rural economies suffer and consumers face higher prices at the grocery store. I urge my colleagues in Congress to pass this legislation and the president to sign it into law.
In September, the U.S. Department of Agriculture designated 85 North Carolina counties as primary disaster areas. The designation allows farmers in those counties to be eligible for low-interest emergency loans. The proposed bill would provide direct payments.
Along with crops, the drought has endangered the state's 800,000 cattle because there wasn't enough rain to grow hay this summer. According to Monday's report, farmers across the state lost about $91 million in hay and pasture crop in 2007.
Officials said the situation is so dire that farmers are having to go to other states to purchase their hay.
Dec 17, 2007—WRAL television of Raleigh, N.C. is reporting on its website that North Carolina farmers may get some much-needed financial relief from the record-setting drought.
The funding will be part of an omnibus spending bill that the U.S. House of Representatives was expected to vote on Monday.
The bill would amend a provision signed by President George Bush in May that provided $3 billion in agriculture assistance for declared disasters in 2005, 2006 and 2007, but set a deadline of Feb. 28, 2007, eliminating farmers affected by the drought from being covered.
The bill would extend a deadline to Dec. 31, allowing farmers affected by the drought to be eligible for direct disaster assistance.
The news comes the same day that a report prepared for the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services stated soybean farmers suffered $130 million in damages due to the drought.
A total of $382 million in losses will directly hit farms, while the remainder will cut into the state's related economic activity. Tobacco farmers, while delivering on their contracts, suffered from a dry and bright curing season.
The numbers did not count losses for the livestock, poultry and dairy industries that have also struggled through the drought.
"This disaster assistance is a major achievement and an important step forward for America’s farmers,” said U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington). “Without these funds, farmers may not be able to farm next year, creating a ripple effect where rural economies suffer and consumers face higher prices at the grocery store. I urge my colleagues in Congress to pass this legislation and the president to sign it into law.
In September, the U.S. Department of Agriculture designated 85 North Carolina counties as primary disaster areas. The designation allows farmers in those counties to be eligible for low-interest emergency loans. The proposed bill would provide direct payments.
Along with crops, the drought has endangered the state's 800,000 cattle because there wasn't enough rain to grow hay this summer. According to Monday's report, farmers across the state lost about $91 million in hay and pasture crop in 2007.
Officials said the situation is so dire that farmers are having to go to other states to purchase their hay.
