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Flooding big concern at Senate Ag hearing
Concerns over record flooding and other weather issues were front and center at the Senate Ag Committee Farm Bill hearing this morning.
Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota says 11,000 people were evacuated from the north central region Wednesday as his state faces the worst flood in recorded history.
“We are now anticipating a flood that would be eight feet higher than the last flood of record in our state. So, as soon as we’re done voting here, I will be going home,” Conrad said.
Conrad says the North Dakota delegation is going to meet with the governor and emergency management officials.
Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas empathizes.,”We’re burning up in the western part of our state and then we are seeing the first surge (of the Missouri River) that you have already experienced.”
Roberts says this flooding won’t be receding any time soon,“Water will come down through the Missouri to the Mississippi (River) and it’ll be clear into the end of August until we’re able to see all that take place.”
Asked what the USDA is doing to help producers, Deputy UnderSecretary Michael Scuse said the Risk Management and Farm Service Agencies are working together closely.
“We’ve been touring the areas. Acting Secretary Karis Gutter is in Missouri yesterday and today looking at some of the flooded areas,” said Scuse, “We’ve been providing fact sheets to all of our farmers and ranchers to let them know what programs area available.”
Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson praised the USDA undersecretaries in attendance for working together on disaster and Farm Bill accountability issues.
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