Lawmakers want in on farm relief

LAWMAKERS WANT IN ON FARM RELIEF: With the headwinds U.S. agricultural producers are facing this year from retaliatory tariffs, low commodity prices and bad weather, there’s urgency among some lawmakers for Congress to throw farmers and ranchers a lifeline. Rep. Ralph Abraham, a House Ag Committee member, told your host he plans to introduce an emergency spending bill when Congress returns after the Nov. 6 midterm elections to address what he called a “crisis situation” in Louisiana and many other states.

The Louisiana Republican, who met Friday with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and soybean exporters near New Orleans, said he’s discussed plans for a farmer-aid legislative package with USDA and state agriculture officials. He told MA the aid could be paired with additional hurricane relief, which Congress is likely to pass before the end of the year.

“We’re going to put together a very broad, but exact, plan to band-aid this thing until we can find a long-term solution,” Abraham said. “We’ve got to work as a Congress very, very quickly to do something in the short-term to allow these farmers just literally to survive.”

USDA has already set aside up to $12 billion to help producers through programs like direct payments, commodity purchases and marketing activities. Farmers and ranchers say USDA’s initial efforts are welcome — but not nearly enough to make up for the negative impact of multiple trade disputes.

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