Push for Disaster Relief Pt 1

Push for Disaster Relief Pt 1

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
With today’s Fruit Grower Report, I’m Bob Larson. A delegation of Northwest Congressional members, including Representative Dan Newhouse and Senator Patty Murray, is calling on the USDA to expedite disaster relief for Central Washington farmers.

Newhouse says in a recent letter, they urged Ag Secretary

Tom Vilsack and the USDA to begin distributing the $10-billion in aid for ag producers impacted by extreme heat, drought, and wildfires this year …

NEWHOUSE … “Senator Murray and I, jointly through our letter, are pushing the USDA to act as quickly as possible to get to use all of the tools that we have given them, that are available to them, so that they can get the relief that our farmers and ranchers need because of the challenges that they faced over the last growing season.”

Newhouse says producers are waiting …

NEWHOUSE … “The urgent need on the part of producers, the government has the tools that they need to provide the relief, there’s no reason that we shouldn’t get the help out the door as soon as possible.”

Time, Newhouse says is of the essence …

NEWHOUSE … “It’s already getting toward the end of October. Bank notes will be coming due with people already making plans for the next season. And so, the need is now and we shouldn’t make the federal government one of the obstacles or challenges for people to be able to move forward and make plans for the next fiscal year.”

Tune in tomorrow for more on the push for the distribution of federal relief … for Northwest growers.

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