News Releases for June 2004
June 24, 2004
For further information, please Contact the Governor's Office
Hoeven Working With USDA On Ag Emergencies
BISMARCK, N.D. - Governor John Hoeven today announced that he will tour flooded agriculture lands in the northern part of the state Friday with Sen. Byron Dorgan, Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson and Byron Anderson, Associate Administrator for the federal Risk Management Agency, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Hoeven’s trip follows up on an earlier tour made last week by Lt. Gov. Jack Dalrymple and Division of Emergency Management Director Doug Friez. Hoeven is sending Dalrymple to Washington next week to meet with Anderson, other Risk Management officials and congressional leaders on the prospects of a general agriculture disaster assistance package, including drought. Hoeven plans to visit dry areas in the southwestern area of the state early next week.
“We have an unusual situation in North Dakota, where the northern part of our state is suffering from excessive rain, and the southern part is suffering from drought,” Hoeven said. “We need to provide help to our farmers and ranchers in both areas.”
Hoeven also commented on Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman's announcement today that she would open CRP lands nationwide for grazing in response to a multi-year drought. The announcement authorizes emergency grazing of CRP lands once the counties have been approved by the NRCS technical committee. Nine counties in North Dakota qualify for the action. Sioux, Grant, Stark, Hettinger, Adams, Golden Valley, Billings, Slope and Bowman counties will qualify.
“The USDA’s action is helpful, but we need to do more for our producers,” Hoeven said.
E-mail comments to the Governor
