03/28/07 Last chance for ag disaster aid?

Farm and Ranch March 28, 2007 Agricultural disaster assistance was included in the supplemental appropriations bill for Iraq passed by the full House of Representatives last week. The U.S. Senate is considering its war spending bill this week which also includes agriculture disaster provisions. President Bush has threatened a veto over Iraq war restrictions the House included in its appropriation bill as well as the extraneous spending like disaster aid. If Congress sends a supplemental spending bill to the White House that the president vetoes, is there a plan B for ag disaster assistance? House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson isn't sure there could be. Peterson: "I don't know. I think this might be our last chance. If we don't get it here I don't know where we are going to get it. By putting it in this emergency bill we are able to fund this as an emergency rather than having to apply to pay-go rules. So I really think this is the only chance. If we don't get it done here I don't think it is going to happen." National Association of Wheat Growers lobbyist Jennifer Spurgat says depending upon what might happen in a conference committee, they expect the supplemental spending bill will be vetoed. Spurgat: "And they will have to do it again so we will continue to push both in this bill and the new one if it happens, for disaster assistance." Spurgat says the assistance is for weather related losses and does not include any compensation for high fuel and fertilizer costs. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.