FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 17, 1998
CONTACT: Rob Larew 202-225-2165
PETERSON ANNOUNCES TENTATIVE DEAL ON AGRICULTURE RELIEF
$675 Million Targeted to Northwest Minnesota Region
(Washington, D.C.) -- Congressman Collin C. Peterson (DFL-7th District) announced today that an agreement has been reached on the Agriculture Appropriations Conference Committee to provide farm assistance.
“Targeting money to Northwest Minnesota is a good first step,” Peterson said, “and I hope that the farmers in my area who have been hit hardest, and who need it most, are reached first.”
According to Peterson, details to the current plan are still being finalized. However, Chairman Smith of the House Agriculture Committee has indicated that there will be $1.5 billion in total disaster assistance with $675 million targeted specifically for Northwest Minnesota and North Dakota. There would also be $140 million to the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to help the agency deliver effective services as their workload increases .
In addition, there would be $1.65 billion in additional transition payments, and $75 million for emergency livestock feed assistance.
“I have been working closely with Chairman Smith, and the committees, on this issue and they all understand the crisis we face in our area,” Peterson said. “When the assistance is finally authorized, it will be time to work with USDA to insure that the rules allow our farmers to receive the assistance they need.”
Peterson indicated that the bill would also have funds for livestock feed cost-share and some type of program to address diseased land, but he didn’t know if that would be through CRP or some other program. Peterson also said he would release all the details of the package as soon as they become available.
“I am hopeful that the approach taken in this agreement will provide some relief to the farmers in Northwest Minnesota, but I haven’t been given all the details yet, so I can’t say for certain that this will solve very many of our problems.”
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