06/01/07 Disaster Aid May Take Time & It sure is Warm

Don't know if you've noticed but it seems to be getting warm. June 1st is usually when spring starts sliding into summer but as of late, some areas of the northwest are seeing or should I say feeling the heat. Sea-Tac airport recorded an all-time record on Wednesday. Some ag producers are welcoming the sunshine but the Health Department warns labor workers to drink plenty of liquids and take breaks as often as possible. Congress finally approved a multi-billion dollar disaster aid package for farmers and ranchers. It's a done deal after years of debate the President has signed the package but USDA Farm Service Agency Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs John Johnson says it may be several months before producers see the money. JOHNSON: There is one major difference in this disaster program compared to ones in the past in that Congress has said this program is only available to those producers who took out crop insurance or coverage under our non-insured assistance program, what we refer to as NAP for some minor crops and some specialty crops. So you had to have some type of insurance in place for your crops in order to participate in this disaster program that Congress passed. Now with here's today's Washington Grange Report. (Grange) That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.