Chairmen Tom Harkin and Patrick Leahy request The administration

to explain use of nutrition and Commodity funds for disaster relief

Harkin and Leahy stress the need for disaster relief
without harming nutrition programs

WASHINGTON- Senator Tom Harkin, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry and Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Research, Nutrition and General Legislation, today sent a letter to Secretary Veneman requesting further explanation of the planned use of fiscal 2003 Section 32 funds for disaster assistance.   

Section 32 provides funds for school lunch and other domestic nutrition and hunger relief programs.  Further, through Section 32 purchase of surplus commodities, such as fruits, vegetables and pork, USDA is able to support producers and provide food to child nutrition programs, soup kitchens and food banks.  

“There is a clear and compelling need for disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers across the United States,” said Harkin.  “Instead of supporting adequate assistance for our farmers and ranchers, the Administration has chosen to pit disaster-stricken farm and ranch families against hungry children and the poor and other agricultural producers.”

“The Administration seems to have tried every excuse it can to avoid providing the drought relief desperately needed by so many farmers,” said Leahy.  “Now they are compounding the insult to farmers by raiding school lunch funds to pay for inadequate drought relief.”

 The Administration had announced that approximately $752 million would be made available for livestock assistance.  It now has become clear that due to the “open-ended” nature of the Administration’s proposal the demand for this program will likely exceed $752 million.  Additionally, unlike the Senate-passed disaster bill, the Administration’s program only helps livestock producers in some counties and does not even cover farmers’ crop losses.  By taking funds away from Section 32 rather than acknowledging the need for comprehensive disaster assistance, the Administration is unlikely to meet the legally mandated levels of commodity purchases for the school lunch or emergency food programs.

“I am angered that the Administration has chosen to take food out of the mouths of hungry children and rob the nation’s food banks in order to fund this national disaster,” said Harkin.  A drought is like any other disaster, and we must protect the livelihoods of those affected.  We must not shift money from the poor and the hungry and other farmers to help those devastated by disaster.”

In September, the Senate passed a $5.9 billion disaster assistance bill by a margin of 79-16.  This bill will provide disaster assistance to those farmers and ranchers who faced either crop or livestock loss in 2001 and/or 2002.

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