Farm Bureau Urges Senators to Put Differences Aside to Pass Disaster Relief Bill

Unable to agree on funding for Puerto Rico, senators failed this week to pass Farm Bureau-supported disaster spending legislation, prompting the American Farm Bureau Federation to urge the lawmakers to set aside political concerns and prioritize concern for farmers, ranchers and rural communities.

“Farms and ranches across the country have endured an incredibly difficult year in 2018 and the trend continues in 2019 with historic hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and wildfires. Losses total more than $8 billion, and the full impact of recent flooding in the Midwest is still being assessed,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall.

He continued, “But we know that many farmers are facing near-complete losses of their crops, livestock and farm infrastructure. At the same time, Puerto Rico’s humanitarian crisis continues and reauthorizing the Nutrition Assistance for Puerto Rico program at $600 million is critical.”

Duvall pointed out that the U.S. has always had farmers and ranchers’ backs when they’ve needed help to recover from circumstances beyond their control.

“Farm Bureau urges U.S. senators to support farmers and ranchers and the rural communities impacted by these catastrophic weather events by moving past this political impasse,” he said.