May 10, 2007
Dear Member of Congress:
On behalf of the below signed organizations, we are writing to urge you to support the agricultural disaster assistance disaster bill scheduled for a vote on Friday, May 11.
Virtually every state in the nation has been impacted by significant weather related and disaster losses in 2005, 2006 or 2007. In 2005 alone, about 80 percent of U.S. counties were declared disaster or contiguous disaster counties due to devastating hurricanes, fires, floods, excessive moisture and severe drought. Besides heavy crop and livestock losses and increased production costs associated with rapidly escalating input costs, many producers also face contaminated fields and infrastructure losses that pose serious, long-term challenges to economic recovery.
We appreciate past assistance offered to help some victims of the 2005 hurricane season. Unfortunately, that assistance was not available to all farmers and ranchers who suffered devastating losses due to hurricanes. Furthermore, none of the assistance was available to producers who suffered significant losses to crop and livestock operations as a result of fires, flooding, drought, excessive moisture and the record-high energy costs brought on by natural disasters.
Please support family farmers and ranchers by voting in favor of agricultural disaster assistance on Friday.
Sincerely,
National Farmers Union
American Farm Bureau Federation
Agricultural Retailers Association
Alabama Peanut Producers Association
American Beekeeping Federation
American Corn Growers Association
American Sheep Industry Association
American Soybean Association
American Sugar Alliance
California Avocado Commission
Florida Peanut Producers Association
Georgia Peanut Commission
Independent Community Bankers of America
National Association of Wheat Growers
National Barley Growers Association
National Cotton Council
National Farmers Organization
National Sunflower Association
Northeast States Association for Agricultural Stewardship
Southern Peanut Farmers Federation
US Canola Association
USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council
Western Peanut Growers Association