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U.S.
Senator Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs
Committees |
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For Immediate
Release December 20, 2005 |
CONTACT: Cody Wertz – Press Secretary 202-228-3630 Jen Clanahan – Deputy Press Secretary 303-455-7600 |
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| Sen. Salazar Calls for Senate Focus on Agriculture Disaster Relief, Questions White House Commitment to Family Farmers and Ranchers WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the Administration in Washington focused on tax cuts for millionaires and playing politics with American’s security, United States Senator Ken Salazar joined several of his colleagues today at a press conference calling for the Senate to provide emergency disaster assistance for the Nation’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities. Audio of Senator Salazar’s remarks is available here. “The fact is that you see the pain in the faces of family farmers today and you see the pain in the faces of rural communities,” said Senator Salazar. “Yet this White House and Senate Leadership are leaving these communities behind. The President simply does not want to make this kind of investment in rural America.” This year, the combination of drought and the effects of Hurricane Katrina have wreaked havoc on Colorado’s rural communities. Many producers in southern and eastern Colorado suffered through drought conditions again this year. Current estimates show that 2006 will be the fifth below average winter wheat crop in six years – with potential losses to producers of over $60 million. High fuel costs – as high as $3.16 per gallon for diesel in Grand Junction this fall – were especially harmful during harvest time, when agricultural producers are some of the largest fuel consumers in the U.S.. In fact, some farmers are being turned down for additional loans to cover fuel costs because they are already financially overextended. “I had a farmer in Burlington, Colorado earlier this year who came up to me and said that he never thought that he would see the day when the cost of one gallon of gas would be higher than the cost of one bushel of wheat,” said Senator Salazar. “Family farms and ranchers continue to wither on the vine.” During his first year in office, Senator Salazar has worked tirelessly on behalf of rural communities across Colorado and the Nation, which he refers to as “The Forgotten America.” In November, Senator Salazar hosted USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Tom Dorr at public meetings in Ft. Morgan, Lamar and Alamosa to gather public input and ideas on rural development. Senator Salazar also requested and received a hearing before the full Senate Agriculture Committee on the impacts of high fuel costs on rural communities and economies. In addition, Senator Salazar was a cosponsor of a disaster relief package offered by Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND), the Emergency Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2005 (S. 1692). The legislation would provide relief to farmers suffering from drought and/or economic losses due to natural disaster and/or rising fuel costs through supplemental economic assistance and emergency disaster relief programs. A photograph of Senator Salazar speaking at the press conference is available here. # # # |
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