Wednesday, January 30, 2013

MCA Backs Blunt's Quest for Agriculture Disaster Relief

Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee of Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, along with Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) introduced legislation that would extend agriculture disaster assistance programs.

"Agriculture supports 16 million jobs across America, and Missouri has the second highest number of farms nationwide. This drought has taken a devastating toll on farm families in Missouri and nationwide, and I won't stop fighting for this critical disaster relief until we get farmers and ranchers back on their feet again," said Blunt

This program expired at the end of the 2011 Fiscal Year and were not part of the nine month Farm Bill extension. The bill would backfill the programs for 2012 and extend them through 2013 while Congress works to pass a long-term Farm Bill. Without an extension many ranchers and farmers will be left with no support to recover from severe fires and drought that swept the country last year.

The Missouri Cattlemen's Association (MCA) and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association worked close with Sen. Blunt to stress the need for this legislation. Additionally, MCA and several statewide agricultural organizations sent a letter to Missouri's congressional delegation on Jan. 8, 2013, to request that the members of Congress and their colleagues look for opportunities to provide relief to farm and ranch families in Missouri and throughout the country.

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