Congressman Bright Tours Rain-Damaged Farm in Midland City (with Video)

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Posted by: JSKeppy
Date: Dec 04 2009 9:07 PM

MIDLAND CITY, AL – Congressman Bobby Bright toured a rain-damaged farm in Midland City, Alabama this afternoon.  Joined by area farmers, Bright saw first-hand the extensive crop loss caused by heavy rains over the last week and the previous months.  Yesterday, Bright sent a letter urging Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to quickly make a disaster designation for all counties in the Second District.  He also signed onto legislation designed to give direct payments to farmers in counties designated as a primary disaster area.

“In southeast Alabama, farmers have suffered tremendously from this year’s unprecedented rainfall,” Bright said.  “In the midst of such a tough economic environment, it is vital that our farmers and their families have the resources they need to make it through a season with 50, 60, and even 70% crop loss.  The damage I saw today makes it abundantly clear that these farmers should be eligible for federal assistance and I urge Secretary Vilsack to quickly assess and designate these counties for disaster loans.”

Many counties in Alabama and surrounding counties in Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi have already been designated as disaster areas, but most counties in Southeast Alabama have yet to receive the same designation despite heavy and severely damaging downpours.  A disaster designation would make them eligible for federal loans, helping farmers compensate for the revenue lost from damaged crops.

“I would like to thank Congressman Bright for his hard work and attention to this matter,” said Danny Ellison, a peanut farmer from Headland and a member of Congressman Bright’s agriculture advisory council.  “Heavy rains have caused a great deal of hardship for farmers in southeast Alabama, turning what should have been a good season into one in which we’ve seen some of the worst crop loss in years.  Congressman Bright is genuinely concerned about these issues, and I and many other local farmers are pleased to work with him to resolve this issue.”

Congressman Bright is urging Secretary Vilsack to direct the Farm Service Agency in Alabama to make a damage assessment- required in advance of a disaster designation- as quickly as possible.  Yesterday, Bright signed onto legislation that will provide another possible venue for disaster assistance.  H.R. 4177, if passed, would provide direct payments to farmers in counties designated as a primary disaster area in calendar year 2009.  Therefore, a disaster designation would need to happen in the next several weeks for Southeast Alabama counties to be eligible.

“Farmers in the Second District should be able to access all available federal resources as they recover from these devastating rains,” Bright said.  “I will continue to push the USDA to quickly designate these counties for disaster assistance and work with my colleagues in Washington for a legislative solution.  The thousands of jobs created by agriculture in the Second District are too important for these farmers to not be eligible for federal assistance.  I would like to thank my agriculture advisory council for their guidance, wisdom, and attention to this issue as we continue to look for some resolution to this very serious situation.”

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