Disaster Aid, MILC Supplemental Approved in Senate Appropriations Committee
For Immediate Release: March 22, 2007
Contact: Liz Friedlander, 202-314-3191WASHINGTON (March 22, 2007) – National Farmers Union commended the Senate Appropriations Committee today for including emergency disaster assistance and extending the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program in the committee’s Supplemental Appropriations bill.
The House Appropriations committee previously approved similar language and the measure is on the House floor this week. The full Senate will likely vote next week.
“Farmers and ranchers can do many things, but unfortunately, they cannot control the weather. This aide provides a much-needed lifeline,” NFU President Tom Buis said. “I commend the committee members for supporting rural America with this legislation.”
Producers in virtually every state have felt the devastating effects of Mother Nature as natural disasters have left much of the country’s family farmers and ranchers struggling to make ends meet. The committee-passed legislation provides more than $4 billion in emergency disaster assistance for either 2005, 2006 or 2007.
The MILC program has been a critical tool for dairy producers during times of low prices. The committee approved an amendment offered by Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Herb Kohl, D-Wis., to extend the program to expire along with other farm bill programs – September 2007. This will allow the program to be included in the baseline budget for the 2007 Farm Bill.
“MILC is vital to dairy producers and the committee made the right move to not only extend the program now, but provide a means to make sure it is included in the farm bill,” Buis said.
Buis said that while today’s vote is a step in the right direction, there are still many hurdles to overcome. He said it is important that all farmers, ranchers and concerned consumers call their representatives in Congress and urge them to support the disaster assistance and MILC provisions in the supplemental.
