07.18.06

Cantwell Backs Governor’s Request for Federal Disaster Assistance for Washington Farmers

Storms caused severe crop loss in Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Lincoln, and Okanogan counties

WASHINGTON, DC – Tuesday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced her full support of Governor Christine Gregoire’s federal disaster relief request on behalf of farmers in Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Lincoln, and Okanogan counties. In a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns, Cantwell asked him to support Gregoire’s request to designate these counties as farm disaster areas, which would make them eligible for federal assistance to help them recover from a severe storm earlier this month.

“We need to get immediate relief to the many eastern and central Washington farmers who lost their crops in this storm,” said Cantwell. “Many of our state’s wheat, cherry, and apple crops were decimated. Agriculture is the backbone of our state’s economy and we need to help Washington farmers and their families recover.”

Between July 4 and 6, thunderstorms with rain and hail caused severe damage to crops in Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Lincoln, and Okanogan counties. A U.S. Department of Agriculture disaster designation would make emergency federal assistance available to farmers in these counties and adjacent counties.

In making its determination, the Secretary of Agriculture will instruct the local USDA to send a team to assess the damage. If damage meets specific loss requirements, the secretary will declare it a disaster area. Disaster areas are established on a county-by-county basis. The disaster declaration could provide emergency low-interest USDA Farm Service Agency loans as well as assistance to cover losses to affected farmers and ranchers.

[The text of Cantwell’s letter to Secretary Johanns follows below]

July 18, 2006

Dear Secretary Johanns:

I am writing to express my strong support of Governor Christine Gregoire’s request for the Department of Agriculture to declare an agriculture disaster in five counties of eastern Washington state.

The governor made the request after a severe storm hit Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Lincoln, and Okanogan Counties on July 4, 5, and 6, 2006, causing property damage and high crop losses. Frequent thunderstorms hitting the area have been particularly harmful for eastern Washington farmers, particularly fruit growers and grain producers. For example, the Okanogan County Horticultural Pest and Disease Control Board estimated that approximately 3,500 acres of fruit orchards were damaged by the storms in Okanogan County alone. Producers of wheat, barley, potatoes and other field crops throughout the area are facing tremendous, if not total, losses on this year’s crop harvest that will devastate these growers financially and may threaten their survival.

In response to these conditions, we urge you to approve the state’s request for federal assistance. As you know, the disaster declaration could provide emergency low-interest USDA Farm Service Agency loans as well as assistance to cover losses to these farmers and ranchers. This assistance will provide key support for the continued vitality of agricultural growers in eastern Washington.

Sincerely,

Maria Cantwell
United States Senator

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