News Releases for June 2006
June 5, 2006
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Hoeven, Rounds, Pawlenty Press Congressional Leaders For Emergency Agriculture Assistance
Agriculture Assistance Letter 
(198kb pdf)
BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. John Hoeven, along with Governors Mike Rounds of South Dakota and Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, today sent a letter to congressional leaders urging them to retain agricultural disaster assistance in the 2006 emergency supplemental appropriations bill currently being considered by Congress. The letter, which was sent to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, outlines the recent challenges faced by agricultural producers due to extreme weather and urges the leaders to retain emergency agricultural disaster assistance in conference committee.
"The need for agriculture assistance is real," Hoeven said. "It is important that a relief package be approved in a timely manner and is tailored to meet disaster-related losses of farmers and ranchers who need it the most."
In November of 2005 and April of this year, Hoeven led a delegation of North Dakota farm organizations to press congressional leaders and administration officials to support disaster aid funding. While in Washington, D.C., the group met with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns, as well as leadership in the U.S. House and Senate on agriculture, including Chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Committee Saxby Chambliss, and Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee Bob Goodlatte.
In addition to twice going to Washington, D.C. to lobby, Hoeven has continued to contact both members of Congress as well as administration officials to push for disaster assistance. Particularly with higher fuel prices, farmers in areas hit by severe summer storms and flooding face real challenges to continuing their farm operations without disaster assistance.
"As we work on the new farm bill we need to also include crop insurance reform so that farmers can adequately insure their operations to protect against weather related disasters. However, in the near term, this disaster assistance package is necessary," Hoeven said.
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