FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 5, 2009
Contact: Katie Laning Niebaum, Leah Vest DiPietro
(202) 224-4843

**RADIO ALERT**

Lincoln AUDIO: Further Assistance May Be Needed for Arkansas’s Farmers, Ranchers

Washington – During a conference call with Arkansas reporters earlier today, U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) cautioned that more disaster assistance may be needed to help farmers and ranchers whose livelihoods have been affected by record rain and extensive flooding. 

“Our producers have been hit hard by severe weather this year. As Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I have been working closely with the Governor’s office and delegation members to help secure disaster declarations so our farmers and ranchers can be eligible for emergency loans. But more assistance may be needed. All options must be on the table in lending a helping hand to our producers, and I will continue my fight to ensure that they receive support when and where it is needed,” said Lincoln.

Lincoln’s audio from today’s call is available in mp3 format at the following website:

http://demradio.senate.gov/actualities/lincoln/lincoln091105_1.mp3

Lincoln’s Remarks As Prepared For Delivery:

“Our producers have been hit hard by severe weather this year.

“As Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I have been working closely with the Governor’s office and delegation members to help secure disaster declarations so our farmers and ranchers can be eligible for emergency loans.
“I’m pleased to announce that this week, farmers in 60 Arkansas counties became eligible to apply for emergency low-interest federal loans under a U.S. Agriculture Department declaration related to October flooding.

“But more assistance may be needed to help farmers and ranchers whose livelihoods have been affected by record rain and extensive flooding. 

“After our producers have completed harvest, we will have a better idea as to the full extent of the damage.
“In a recent one-on-one meeting with Secretary Vilsack, I shared my deep concern that more help may be needed.
“In the past, the Department of Agriculture has used existing authority to provide crop loss and livestock assistance to producers when the safety net has fallen short. 
“Because the disaster program included in the Farm Bill has not yet been implemented and any help provided under that program for 2009 will be delayed for at least a year, I believe USDA must be prepared to act when and where necessary to bridge the gap in the safety net.

“In the past, when USDA has waited for Congressional approval of ad hoc disaster assistance, debate over the legislation and USDA implementation have simply taken too long.

“The bottom line is that all options must be on the table in lending a helping hand to our producers, and I will continue my fight to ensure that they receive support when and where it is needed.”

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