03/25/05 Extend drought relief; T.A.A. on the way

It's not news that the Northwest wants to hear in the middle of a potential drought year. But the federal authority of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to provide emergency drought assistance is scheduled to end September 30th of this year. That is why U.S. Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon has introduced a bill which would extend the provisions of the original Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 through the year 2010. The new measure, called the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act, would allow the Interior Secretary to make loans to water users for acquisition of H2O, mitigate damages and losses resulting from drought, make water available on a temporary basis to both service and non-service areas, and increase the Bureau's flexibility for federal projects to store and deliver water to private water users. Idaho potato growers now have T.A.A. That's Trade Adjustment Assistance. U.S.D.A.'s Foreign Ag Service approved a petition by Idaho spud producers for benefits under the T.A.A. for farmers program. Under T.A.A., U.S.D.A. provides technical assistance and cash benefits, if growers can prove imports of a competitive commodity were a major contributor to a decline in producer prices and a loss of net farm income. In the case of Idaho growers, F.A.S. determined French fry imports were a major contributor to a decline in Idaho fresh market potatoes in 2003. Idaho growers starting Monday can apply for T.A.A.. The sign-up period runs through June 27th. They do not like the Central American Free Trade Agreement. They are a majority of state agriculture directors who met recently. The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture took their position after Ag Directors from southern states offered the resolution. Pleas by U.S. Chief Ag Trade Negotiator Allen Johnson not to pass the measure, and an attempt to overturn the resolution among membership, were not successful. The N.A.S.D.A.'s position is likely to stand until its next meeting in September, by which time Congress is expected to vote on ratifying C.A.F.T.A. The latest news from Washington D.C. insiders is the Senate Finance Committee is scheduling an April Sixth hearing on C.A.F.T.A.. From there the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees will draft the Bush Administration's legislation to implement C.A.F.T.A. According to rules, Congress has ninety days to ratify a trade agreement, via an up or down vote, once the Presidential administration sends such an agreement.